Physical Therapist Salary in San Diego, CA
Physical Therapists in San Diego, CA earn a median of $87,000/year, ranging from $66,990 (25th percentile) to $139,200 (90th percentile). After California state taxes (9.3%) and cost-of-living adjustments (COL index 152), this is equivalent to $57,237 in purchasing power vs the US average.
On the ground in San Diego, CA
Physical therapists here work across a spread that mirrors the metro's cost pinch. Notable employers in this market include Scripps Health, UC San Diego Health, and Sharp HealthCare, which anchor the outpatient and hospital-based side of the work. A 1BR in Pacific Beach or Mission Hills runs around $2,200 to $2,400 monthly on a median salary, which tightens your take-home further once California state income tax lands. The metro sprawls north-south more than east-west, so your commute hinges on whether you're catching patients in downtown, Balboa Park clinics, or North County corridors like the I-5 corridor heading toward Carlsbad. The real local factor is that San Diego's climate means year-round outdoor demand for sports medicine and orthopedic PT work, but also that most employers here are nonprofit health systems, not private practices, which shapes billing cycles and caseload predictability.
1Salary Distribution in San Diego, CA
2Estimated Take-Home & Purchasing Power
* Estimates only. Does not include federal income tax, 401k, health insurance, or local taxes. Use the Salary Calculator for a detailed breakdown.
How Does San Diego, CA Compare?
| City | Median | COL Index | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA (current) | $87,000 | 152 | $57,237 |
| San Francisco, CA | $105,000 | 186 | $56,452 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $90,000 | 173 | $52,023 |
| New York, NY | $101,000 | 187 | $54,011 |
| Seattle, WA | $102,000 | 162 | $62,963 |
| Boston, MA | $93,000 | 162 | $57,407 |
4Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Physical Therapist salary in San Diego, CA?
The median Physical Therapist salary in San Diego, CA is $87,000 per year as of 2026 BLS OEWS data. The 25th percentile is $66,990 and the 90th percentile is $139,200.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 152 (US average = 100). After adjusting for cost of living, a $87,000 Physical Therapist salary in San Diego, CA is equivalent to $57,237 in purchasing power compared to the US average.
What is the cost of living adjustment for San Diego, CA?
San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 152, meaning it is 52% more expensive than the US average. The state income tax rate in California is approximately 9.3%.
What is the Physical Therapist salary range in San Diego, CA?
In San Diego, CA, Physical Therapists earn between $66,990 (25th percentile) and $139,200 (90th percentile), with a median of $87,000 per year.
How many Physical Therapist jobs are there in San Diego, CA?
According to BLS OEWS data, there are approximately 36,000 Physical Therapist positions in the San Diego, CA metropolitan area.
What do Physical Therapists earn in San Diego, CA?
Based on BLS OEWS 2026 data, Physical Therapists in San Diego, CA earn a median annual wage of $87,000. The middle 50% earn between $66,990 and $111,360. The top 10% earn more than $139,200. There are approximately 36,000 Physical Therapists employed in the San Diego, CA metro area, with annual job growth estimated at 4%.
Is San Diego, CA a good place for a Physical Therapist?
San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 152 (US average = 100), making it 52% more expensive than the national average. After adjusting for cost of living, a Physical Therapist in San Diego, CA earning $87,000has the equivalent purchasing power of $57,237 relative to the US median. California has a state income tax rate of approximately 9.3%.
What is the cost of living adjustment for San Diego, CA?
San Diego, CA's cost of living index is 152, based on composite data including housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and utilities. This means that $87,000 in San Diego, CAhas the same purchasing power as $57,237 in a city at exactly the US average cost of living. Housing is typically the largest driver of cost of living differences between metros.
Compare San Diego, CA with Another City
See a detailed side-by-side comparison of salary, taxes, and purchasing power.
5Should You Work as a Physical Therapist in San Diego, CA?
The headline median of $87,000 is only part of the picture. San Diego, CA's cost of living index is 152 (US average = 100), meaning a dollar here buys roughly 66¢ of what it buys in an average US city. The $87,000 salary effectively purchases $57,237 worth of goods and services at national-average prices.
Housing is the single biggest driver of cost-of-living differences between metros. In San Diego, CA, the median household typically spends 35–45% of gross income on housing — significantly above the 28% "affordable" threshold most lenders use. For a $87,000 salary, that translates to roughly $34,800/year on housing alone.
State tax plays a meaningful but smaller role. California levies a state income tax of approximately 9.3%, which reduces take-home by roughly $8,091 per year on this salary. States with zero income tax (Texas, Florida, Washington, Tennessee, Nevada) offer a structural advantage, but often offset it with higher sales tax or property tax. After state tax and approximate federal FICA (~7.6%), the estimated take-home is $72,912. This excludes federal income tax, which varies by filing status and deductions.
For comparison, here are nearby alternatives: San Francisco, CA ($105,000 median, COL 186); Los Angeles, CA ($90,000 median, COL 173); New York, NY ($101,000 median, COL 187). If you're optimizing for purchasing power, compare the COL-adjusted column in the table above and pick the highest number. If you're optimizing for career progression, weight total employment and yearly growth in the role — larger markets offer more lateral moves and promotion velocity, even when nominal pay is lower.
The 4% year-over-year growth rate for Physical Therapists in San Diego, CA is a leading indicator of market health. Healthy growth at a steady pace — enough to support mobility but not so fast that compensation is racing ahead of credentials. For side-by-side comparisons, try the full city ranking for Physical Therapists or the California state overview.
Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Program. All figures are approximate annual estimates based on the most recent available BLS data. Actual salaries may vary based on experience, education, employer size, and specific role. Cost-of-living data represents composite indices from publicly available metropolitan area data.