The median Physical Therapist salary is $56.00 per hour, or $116,480 per year, based on 33,006 job postings across 106 states. Compare pay by location, employer, shift, and contract type.
$56.00
Median hourly
$116,480
Annual salary
$34-$78
Pay range
106
States tracked
Salary guide
A typical Physical Therapist earns $56.00/hr, with most posted roles landing between $46.00 and $71.20/hr.
Recent posted pay is down, with the last 30 days showing -3.5% movement versus the prior period.
Location matters: Haines, ALASKA is currently among the highest-paying cities, while Cheektowaga, NEW YORK sits near the lower end.
30-day market pulse
Compare the most recent 30 days of job postings against the previous 30 days. Use this as a quick read on whether pay and hiring volume are moving together.
Posted pay
-3.5%
Current median: $55.00/hr
Prior period: $57.00/hr
Job openings
-2%
7,026 recent postings
Previous period: 7,172 postings
Daily pay signal
$50.50/hr latest
Year-over-year
Building
We are collecting enough historical Physical Therapist postings to show a reliable year-over-year pay comparison.
Pay is moving down in recent listings, falling from $57.00/hr to $55.00/hr.
Pay range
The middle band is usually the most useful offer benchmark. The 10th and 90th percentiles show the broader market floor and ceiling.
Entry / low
$34.00
$70,720/yr
Median
$56.00
$116,480/yr
Top earners
$77.50
$161,200/yr
MARKET TRENDS
Month-over-month median hourly pay and posting volume.
| Month | Median Hourly | Postings |
|---|---|---|
Apr 2026Current | $55.00/hr | 6,671 |
Mar 2026 | $57.00/hr | 7,527 |
Feb 2026 | $60.50/hr | 4,181 |
Jan 2026 | $60.00/hr | 4,868 |
Dec 2025 | $52.00/hr | 6,138 |
Nov 2025 | $57.50/hr | 3,621 |
BY LOCATION
See how pay varies across the country. Ranked by job volume.
179 postings · 32 companies
$47.50
$35-$56
450 postings · 76 companies
$76.89
$72-$84
701 postings · 140 companies
$52.00
$44-$59
128 postings · 32 companies
$47.50
$42-$58
5,737 postings · 765 companies
$68.95
$58-$74
1,014 postings · 259 companies
$51.00
$46-$70
460 postings · 78 companies
$52.50
$43-$59
71 postings · 27 companies
$55.00
$48-$64
34 postings · 22 companies
$69.83
$51-$79
1,278 postings · 359 companies
$47.50
$37-$58
634 postings · 117 companies
$48.00
$43-$70
96 postings · 46 companies
$57.25
$50-$72
64 postings · 33 companies
$44.00
$33-$56
1,361 postings · 242 companies
$49.00
$43-$65
358 postings · 88 companies
$47.50
$34-$57
257 postings · 74 companies
$48.50
$40-$71
243 postings · 78 companies
$51.00
$37-$71
227 postings · 59 companies
$50.00
$44-$69
185 postings · 39 companies
$49.00
$38-$55
205 postings · 45 companies
$69.25
$48-$72
724 postings · 125 companies
$48.00
$39-$61
1,997 postings · 254 companies
$70.00
$49-$73
473 postings · 157 companies
$57.75
$44-$72
672 postings · 128 companies
$49.00
$45-$70
91 postings · 28 companies
$48.00
$36-$58
354 postings · 80 companies
$49.00
$41-$57
296 postings · 83 companies
$71.44
$63-$78
178 postings · 53 companies
$70.71
$50-$74
203 postings · 72 companies
$55.00
$47-$61
279 postings · 72 companies
$57.50
$48-$72
942 postings · 211 companies
$52.50
$43-$68
407 postings · 95 companies
$70.58
$51-$74
1,477 postings · 374 companies
$55.00
$44-$73
582 postings · 124 companies
$49.00
$43-$59
109 postings · 42 companies
$70.45
$47-$73
543 postings · 132 companies
$47.50
$36-$58
237 postings · 54 companies
$50.00
$34-$67
687 postings · 124 companies
$69.65
$53-$72
710 postings · 156 companies
$51.75
$44-$69
132 postings · 40 companies
$47.00
$37-$53
415 postings · 124 companies
$54.68
$45-$70
215 postings · 51 companies
$70.95
$67-$73
199 postings · 58 companies
$47.50
$37-$53
1,065 postings · 249 companies
$55.00
$46-$71
126 postings · 38 companies
$45.50
$41-$51
186 postings · 66 companies
$71.54
$61-$75
577 postings · 138 companies
$61.00
$46-$73
1,048 postings · 233 companies
$55.00
$48-$66
182 postings · 68 companies
$72.53
$69-$80
823 postings · 121 companies
$70.47
$50-$73
45 postings · 31 companies
$69.50
$52-$73
BY CITY
See which cities offer the highest and lowest Physical Therapist salaries.
Haines
Alaska · 41 postings
$91.00/hr
Rushville
Illinois · 43 postings
$87.65/hr
Ridgecrest
California · 13 postings
$87.50/hr
Bethel
Alaska · 77 postings
$84.98/hr
Chester
Montana · 17 postings
$82.65/hr
Cheektowaga
New York · 10 postings
$26.75/hr
Urbandale
Iowa · 12 postings
$30.50/hr
Anderson
South Carolina · 12 postings
$32.00/hr
Centereach
New York · 10 postings
$32.50/hr
Kenosha
Wisconsin · 13 postings
$32.50/hr
BY EMPLOYER
See which companies pay the most and least for Physical Therapist positions.
Health Advocates Network - Allied
6 postings
$189.90/hr
Best Home Health & Hospice
7 postings
$155.00/hr
Hamaspik Of Kings County
5 postings
$130.00/hr
Achieve Beyond Pediatric Therapy And Autism Services
39 postings
$120.50/hr
Aspire Home Healthcare
11 postings
$117.50/hr
Physical Therapy Central
14 postings
$10.50/hr
Redbud Physical Therapy
6 postings
$11.00/hr
Sportherapy
9 postings
$12.50/hr
Foothills Sports Medicine Physical Therapy
20 postings
$15.50/hr
Ret Physical Therapy & Healthcare Specialists
19 postings
$20.00/hr
RELATED POSITIONS
| Job Title | Postings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health Physical Therapist | 1,722 | $72.97/hr |
| Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant | 161 | $35.00/hr |
| Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant | 105 | $55.00/hr |
| Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (pta) | 104 | $36.25/hr |
| Home Health Physical Therapist (pt) | 92 | $63.75/hr |
| Home Care Physical Therapist- Per Diem | 81 | $77.50/hr |
| Licensed Physical Therapist | 67 | $71.13/hr |
| Clinic Physical Therapist | 40 | $71.68/hr |
| Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (lpta) | 37 | $36.50/hr |
| Home Care Physical Therapist | 34 | $60.00/hr |
EDUCATION & LICENSING
Physical therapists help patients recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions, and improve mobility through exercise, manual therapy, and patient education.
Minimum: DPT
DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
tDPT
Transitional DPT (tDPT)
Residency
Residency Program
Fellowship
Fellowship Program
PTs complete a bachelor's degree (often in biology, exercise science, or kinesiology), then a 3-year DPT program. Prerequisites include anatomy, physiology, physics, and psychology.
PT License
RequiredPhysical Therapist License
PT Compact License
Physical Therapy Compact Privilege
BLS
RequiredBasic Life Support
Staff Physical Therapist
0-3 years experience
Senior Physical Therapist
3-7 years experience
Board-Certified Clinical Specialist
5-10 years experience
Clinic Director / Rehab Manager
7-12 years experience
Regional Director / VP of Rehab
12+ years experience
Certifications can significantly increase earning potential
OCS
+5-15%Orthopedic Clinical Specialist
NCS
+5-15%Neurologic Clinical Specialist
SCS
+5-15%Sports Clinical Specialist
GCS
+5-10%Geriatric Clinical Specialist
CCS
+5-10%Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Clinical Specialist
Dry Needling Certification
+2-5%Dry Needling Certificate
Job Outlook
Strong Growth (15% (2022-2032))
PT is one of the fastest-growing healthcare professions. Aging population, sports injuries, and chronic disease management drive demand. Travel PT positions offer $1,800-2,500+/week.
PAY FACTORS
How shift type, contract length, and employment type impact Physical Therapist salaries.
FAQ
The median Physical Therapist salary is $56.00 per hour, or $116,480 annually. Pay ranges from $34.00/hr (10th percentile) to $77.50/hr (90th percentile) depending on location, experience, and employer.
Based on 33,006 job postings, the highest paying states for Physical Therapists include Alaska, West Virginia, Vermont. Pay rates vary based on cost of living, demand, and state regulations.
There are currently 33,006 Physical Therapist job postings across 106 states, from 3880 different healthcare employers.
Physical Therapist pay varies based on geographic location, years of experience, certifications, shift differentials (nights/weekends), employment type (travel vs. staff), facility type, and specialized skills. Travel contracts typically pay higher hourly rates.
Physical Therapist pay is currently trending downward. Over the past 30 days, median hourly rates decreased 3.5%.
Physical Therapist pay varies by specialty and setting. Travel positions typically pay $15.20 to $21.50 more per hour than staff positions. Night shifts and weekend differentials also increase earnings.
Pay varies significantly by location. Top paying cities like Haines offer $91.00/hr, while lower cost areas may pay around $26.75/hr. However, rural areas often offer signing bonuses and housing stipends to attract talent.
Entry-level Physical Therapists typically earn around $34.00 to $46.00 per hour ($70,720 to $95,680 annually). With experience, pay increases toward the median of $56.00/hr.
DATA METHOD
Source
Based on 33,006 active postings with listed compensation for Physical Therapist. We prioritize postings with explicit hourly or annual pay and exclude rows without usable compensation signals from salary percentiles.
Range
Percentiles show the spread of posted pay, not a guaranteed offer or take-home pay after taxes. State and city views use available market observations and label estimated values when direct samples are limited.
Freshness
Current dataset window: 2025-11-01 to 2026-04-30. Recent trend cards compare the latest posting window with the prior period so short-term pay movement is separated from the full historical median.
EXPLORE MORE
Physical Therapy salary data in Allied Health Professional
Physical Therapy salary data in Allied Health Professional
Physical Therapy salary data in Allied Health Professional
Physical Therapy salary data in Allied Health Professional
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