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Summary: US physical therapists earned a median of $102,760 and a mean of $105,280 in May 2025 (BLS), with the top 10% above $135,140. Home health pays the most by setting and California the most by state. The guide covers pay by percentile, setting, state, metro, experience and specialty, why PayScale and BLS differ, PT vs PTA pay, and includes a salary offer checker.
The median physical therapist salary in the United States is $102,760 a year, or about $49.40 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The mean (average) is $105,280. The lowest-paid 10% earn less than $77,140 and the top 10% earn more than $135,140. Pay is highest in home health care ($114,740 median) and in states such as California ($124,190 median). Employment is projected to grow 12% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average.
This guide breaks pay down by percentile, setting, state, city, experience and specialty, explains why salary sites disagree, and compares PT pay with PTAs and aides. Use the offer checker to see where a salary falls.
Physical therapist salary at a glance (2025 data)
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $102,760 |
| Mean (average) annual wage | $105,280 |
| Median hourly wage | $49.40 |
| 10th percentile | $77,140 |
| 25th percentile | $86,160 |
| 75th percentile | $121,160 |
| 90th percentile | $135,140 |
| Jobs (2025) | 283,700 |
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 12%, much faster than average |
| Entry-level education | Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) |
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (median, jobs, outlook) and BLS OEWS May 2025 percentiles as compiled by Wagedex.
PT salary offer checker
Physical therapist salary offer checker
Enter a salary offer (or your current pay) to see where it falls against BLS May 2025 wages for physical therapists. You can also compare it with a work-setting or state median. Annual and hourly pay are converted at 2,080 hours a year.
National percentiles and state medians: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state medians as compiled by Wagedex). Setting medians: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Figures are gross wages before tax and exclude benefits. This tool does not store any data.
Average salary for a physical therapist: median vs mean
The average salary for a physical therapist is $105,280 (mean), while the median is $102,760. The mean is higher because a smaller group of high earners pulls it up, so the median is the better guide to a typical paycheck. Hourly, the median works out to about $49.40, which is roughly $1,976 for a 40-hour week before tax.
Physical therapist salary by work setting
| Work setting | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Home health care services | $114,740 |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | $110,460 |
| Hospitals (state, local and private) | $106,800 |
| Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists | $97,160 |
Outpatient private practice pays the least of the large settings but often offers more predictable hours. Home health and skilled nursing pay more, partly because of travel, documentation load and productivity expectations.
Physical therapist salary by state
| Rank | Highest-paying states | Median | Lowest-paying states and territories | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $124,190 | Puerto Rico | $60,250 |
| 2 | Alaska | $115,280 | North Dakota | $85,330 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $112,140 | Montana | $91,450 |
| 4 | Nevada | $111,250 | South Dakota | $92,660 |
| 5 | Maryland | $106,890 | West Virginia | $96,600 |
Top-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Wage |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $141,980 |
| Vallejo, CA | $141,530 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $140,100 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $139,000 |
| Napa, CA | $138,540 |
State and metro figures as compiled by Wagedex from BLS OEWS. Higher pay in these areas comes with a higher cost of living, so compare offers on take-home pay after housing costs. For licensing in the top-paying state, see our California physical therapy licensing guide.
Physical therapist salary by experience
BLS does not publish pay by years of experience. PayScale's self-reported base-pay data show the pattern, though its figures are lower than BLS because they cover base salary only and a different sample.
| Career stage | Average base pay |
|---|---|
| Entry level (under 1 year) | $74,669 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $78,537 |
| Mid career | About 6% above the $81,144 average |
| Late career | About 14% above average |
| Experienced | About 19% above average |
Source: PayScale: Physical Therapist (PT) salary, 9,215 profiles. Bonuses ranged from $506 to $8,000.
Physical therapist salary by specialty
BLS does not report pay by specialty either. PayScale's self-reported base pay for common specialty titles is below:
| Specialty title | Average base pay | 10th to 90th percentile | PayScale update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports physical therapist | $75,000 | $64,000 to $85,000 (11 profiles) | September 2026 |
| Pediatric physical therapist | $74,849 | $64,000 to $92,000 (265 profiles) | June 2026 |
| Neurological physical therapist | $77,842 | $65,000 to $98,000 | November 2024 |
Small samples and base-only pay make these figures rough guides. Board certification through ABPTS can strengthen your case for higher pay: 45,398 PTs held ABPTS specialist certification as of July 2026, most in orthopaedics. Read about physical therapy specialties and the best PT certifications.
Why salary sites show different numbers
| Source | What it measures | 2025-26 figure |
|---|---|---|
| BLS OEWS (employer survey) | Wages reported by employers for employed PTs, May 2025 | Median $102,760; mean $105,280 |
| PayScale (self-reported) | Base salary reported by individuals, rolling sample | Average base $81,144 |
Use BLS for the market as a whole and salary sites for a feel of what similar job titles report. Older figures such as the $89,000 average quoted on many pages predate the 2025 data.
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) salary
Every new US physical therapist now graduates with a DPT, so the BLS median of $102,760 is effectively the DPT salary benchmark. BLS does not separate pay by degree, and therapists who qualified earlier with a master's degree do the same job. See DPT vs PT: what the letters mean. The investment is real: CAPTE's 2025 data put mean total tuition at $74,348 for public in-state programs and $129,942 for private programs (CAPTE).
PT vs PTA vs PT aide salary
| Role | Typical education | Median annual pay | Outlook 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical therapist | DPT plus state license | $102,760 | 12% growth |
| Physical therapist assistant | Associate degree plus license or certification | $68,380 | 23% growth |
| Physical therapist aide | High school diploma plus on-the-job training | $35,240 | 4% growth |
Sources: BLS physical therapists and BLS PT assistants and aides.
How to become a physical therapist
- Earn a bachelor's degree with the prerequisite science courses DPT programs require.
- Complete a CAPTE-accredited DPT program. In 2025 the mean program length was 122.4 weeks, including 34.7 weeks of full-time clinical education.
- Pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and meet your state's licensing rules. The 2025 first-time pass rate was 86.3%.
- Keep your license current with continuing education, and consider a residency or board certification to specialise.
Skills matter too; see skills every physical therapist should develop.
How to increase your physical therapist salary
- Choose a higher-paying setting, such as home health or skilled nursing, or negotiate per-visit rates.
- Earn a board certification or complete a residency in a high-demand area.
- Consider location: West Coast metros pay the most, but compare after cost of living.
- Take on leadership roles such as clinic director or rehab manager.
- Open or grow a practice. Owners earn from the business, not only from visits. Tools like SPRY's EMR and billing software help keep collections high; book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary for a physical therapist?
The mean annual wage for physical therapists was $105,280 and the median was $102,760 in May 2025, according to BLS data.
How much do physical therapists make an hour?
The median hourly wage was about $49.40 in May 2025. The lowest 10% earned less than about $37.09 an hour and the top 10% more than about $64.97.
Which physical therapy setting pays the most?
Home health care services had the highest median pay, $114,740, followed by nursing and residential care ($110,460) and hospitals ($106,800).
Which state pays physical therapists the most?
California had the highest median PT wage in May 2025, $124,190, followed by Alaska, New Jersey, Nevada and Maryland.
How much does a Doctor of Physical Therapy make?
All new US PTs earn a DPT, so the BLS median of $102,760 is the best benchmark. BLS does not report pay separately by degree.
What is the starting salary for a physical therapist?
PayScale reports average entry-level base pay of $74,669. BLS data show the lowest 10% of all PTs earn less than $77,140.
Is physical therapist pay expected to increase?
BLS projects 12% employment growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, which supports demand. Pay growth will still depend on payer rates and setting.
How much do PT assistants make compared with PTs?
PTAs had a median of $68,380 and PT aides $35,240 in May 2025, compared with $102,760 for physical therapists.
Why does PayScale show lower PT salaries than BLS?
PayScale reports self-reported base salary from a rolling sample, while BLS surveys employers for total wages. Use BLS for market-wide benchmarks.
How long does it take to become a physical therapist?
Typically about seven years after high school: a four-year bachelor's degree and a DPT averaging 122.4 weeks, then the NPTE and state licensure.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physical Therapists
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Physical Therapists (29-1123)
- Wagedex: physical therapist wages from BLS OEWS May 2025
- PayScale: Physical Therapist (PT) salary
- PayScale: Sports Physical Therapist salary
- PayScale: Pediatric Physical Therapist salary
- PayScale: Neurological Physical Therapist salary
- CAPTE: 2025 PT Aggregate Program Data
- ABPTS: certified specialists statistics
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