BLS SOC 29-1123 · Healthcare
Physical Therapist Salary
Physical therapists help patients improve movement and manage pain after injuries, illnesses, or surgeries. They develop individualized treatment plans using exercise, manual therapy, and patient education.
Data: BLS OEWS · 2026
National Median
$76,500
annual
25th Percentile
$58,905
annual
75th Percentile
$97,920
annual
90th Percentile
$122,400
annual
National Salary Distribution
P25: $58,905Median: $76,500P75: $97,920P90: $122,400
1
Top Paying Cities for Physical Therapist
Ranked by median annual salary
| # | City | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $105,000 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $102,000 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $101,000 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $93,000 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $91,000 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $90,000 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $87,000 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $84,000 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $84,000 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $81,000 |
2
Best After Cost of Living
Salary adjusted for cost of living (US avg = $100k)
| # | City | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $73,626 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | $73,333 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $73,034 |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC | $72,816 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $72,222 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $71,963 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $71,963 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $70,874 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | $70,536 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $69,444 |
3
Physical Therapist Salary — All Cities
All 30 metro areas, sorted by median salary
| City | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $80,850 | $105,000 | $134,400 | $168,000 | 78,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $78,540 | $102,000 | $130,560 | $163,200 | 87,000 |
| New York, NY | $77,770 | $101,000 | $129,280 | $161,600 | 102,000 |
| Boston, MA | $71,610 | $93,000 | $119,040 | $148,800 | 63,000 |
| Washington, DC | $70,070 | $91,000 | $116,480 | $145,600 | 67,500 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $69,300 | $90,000 | $115,200 | $144,000 | 72,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $66,990 | $87,000 | $111,360 | $139,200 | 36,000 |
| Austin, TX | $64,680 | $84,000 | $107,520 | $134,400 | 57,000 |
| Portland, OR | $64,680 | $84,000 | $107,520 | $134,400 | 30,000 |
| Denver, CO | $62,370 | $81,000 | $103,680 | $129,600 | 42,000 |
| Dallas, TX | $60,830 | $79,000 | $101,120 | $126,400 | 52,500 |
| Chicago, IL | $59,290 | $77,000 | $98,560 | $123,200 | 52,500 |
| Houston, TX | $59,290 | $77,000 | $98,560 | $123,200 | 42,000 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $58,520 | $76,000 | $97,280 | $121,600 | 33,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $57,750 | $75,000 | $96,000 | $120,000 | 45,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | $57,750 | $75,000 | $96,000 | $120,000 | 33,000 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $56,210 | $73,000 | $93,440 | $116,800 | 37,500 |
| Miami, FL | $55,440 | $72,000 | $92,160 | $115,200 | 33,000 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $55,440 | $72,000 | $92,160 | $115,200 | 27,000 |
| Nashville, TN | $54,670 | $71,000 | $90,880 | $113,600 | 27,000 |
| Charlotte, NC | $53,130 | $69,000 | $88,320 | $110,400 | 30,000 |
| Richmond, VA | $53,130 | $69,000 | $88,320 | $110,400 | 21,000 |
| Columbus, OH | $51,590 | $67,000 | $85,760 | $107,200 | 24,000 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $50,820 | $66,000 | $84,480 | $105,600 | 21,000 |
| Detroit, MI | $50,050 | $65,000 | $83,200 | $104,000 | 22,500 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $50,050 | $65,000 | $83,200 | $104,000 | 22,500 |
| Louisville, KY | $46,200 | $60,000 | $76,800 | $96,000 | 15,000 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $45,430 | $59,000 | $75,520 | $94,400 | 13,500 |
| Memphis, TN | $43,890 | $57,000 | $72,960 | $91,200 | 12,000 |
| El Paso, TX | $40,810 | $53,000 | $67,840 | $84,800 | 9,000 |
Top Skills for Physical Therapist
Manual TherapyExercise PrescriptionPatient AssessmentRehabilitationTherapeutic Modalities