Physical Therapist salary: $53.00/hr$2,120/wk$110,240/yr median.
Pay range $43.00$1,720$89,440–$70.90/hr$2,836/wk$147,472/yr across the middle 50% of active Physical Therapy Allied Health Professional postings nationwide.
3,225 unique employers · 3,346 cities · 54 states. Pay moved +4.2% over the last 30 days.
How Physical Therapist pay is distributed.
10% of postings pay under $33.00/hr$1,320/wk$68,640/yr. The top 10% pay above $77.38/hr$3,095/wk$160,950/yr.
How Physical Therapist pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $50.00 in May 2026 to $49.50 in Oct 2026 (-1.0%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
| Month | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | $50.00$2,000$104,000 | $40.00$1,600$83,200–$62.00$2,480$128,960 | 6,231 |
| Jun 2026 | $55.00$2,200$114,400 | $45.00$1,800$93,600–$72.50$2,900$150,800 | 6,019 |
| Jul 2026 | $73.18$2,927$152,214 | $57.45$2,298$119,496–$76.00$3,040$158,080 | 1,673 |
| Aug 2026 | $62.43$2,497$129,854 | $46.80$1,872$97,344–$75.30$3,012$156,624 | 1,518 |
| Sep 2026 | $48.50$1,940$100,880 | $38.50$1,540$80,080–$58.00$2,320$120,640 | 1,697 |
| Oct 2026 | $49.50$1,980$102,960 | $39.00$1,560$81,120–$60.00$2,400$124,800 | 2,072 |
Physical Therapist pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 51 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
The metros writing the biggest Physical Therapist paychecks.
| City | State | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ridgecrest | CA · CALIFORNIA | $88.92$3,557$184,954 | $86.22$3,449$179,338–$91.20$3,648$189,696 | 12 |
| manhattan | NY · NEW YORK | $85.00$3,400$176,800 | $63.00$2,520$131,040–$105.00$4,200$218,400 | 11 |
| ca | US · US | $85.00$3,400$176,800 | $45.63$1,825$94,910–$110.00$4,400$228,800 | 22 |
| mi | US · US | $85.00$3,400$176,800 | $60.00$2,400$124,800–$91.88$3,675$191,110 | 16 |
| juneau | AK · ALASKA | $84.18$3,367$175,094 | $80.60$3,224$167,648–$87.53$3,501$182,062 | 121 |
CITY PAY DATA
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Where the top of the market is paying for Physical Therapist.
| Employer | Median /hr/wk/yr | Range | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| A List Therapy Group | $102.50$4,100$213,200 | $57.50$2,300$119,600–$112.50$4,500$234,000 | 23 |
| Chance To Advance | $115.00$4,600$239,200 | $115.00$4,600$239,200–$115.00$4,600$239,200 | 5 |
| Gold Standard Therapy Solutions | $105.00$4,200$218,400 | $75.00$3,000$156,000–$152.50$6,100$317,200 | 58 |
| Human Touch Home Healthcare | $107.50$4,300$223,600 | $67.50$2,700$140,400–$107.50$4,300$223,600 | 33 |
| Independence Health Contractors, LLC | $155.00$6,200$322,400 | $105.00$4,200$218,400–$155.00$6,200$322,400 | 8 |
| Omni Therapy | $105.00$4,200$218,400 | $67.50$2,700$140,400–$110.00$4,400$228,800 | 20 |
| Perpetual Care Home Health | $135.00$5,400$280,800 | $135.00$5,400$280,800–$135.00$5,400$280,800 | 5 |
| Places You'll Go Therapy | $101.00$4,040$210,080 | $101.00$4,040$210,080–$101.00$4,040$210,080 | 6 |
| PLOV Solutions | $110.00$4,400$228,800 | $105.00$4,200$218,400–$115.00$4,600$239,200 | 10 |
| Tender Home Health | $145.00$5,800$301,600 | $145.00$5,800$301,600–$145.00$5,800$301,600 | 5 |
Showing all 10 employers with live pay data.
How Physical Therapist pay shifts by schedule and contract type.
Temporary, Parttime pays the most at $80.00/hr$3,200/wk$166,400/yr median — 70% above Fulltime at $47.00/hr$1,880/wk$97,760/yr. Fulltime drives the volume with 9,140 active postings.
How to become a Physical Therapist.
Physical therapists help patients recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions, and improve mobility through exercise, manual therapy, and patient education.
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.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Physical TherapyDPT | 3 years post-bachelor's | Required entry-level degree for all new physical therapists since 2015. Includes extensive clinical rotations. |
| Transitional DPT (tDPT)tDPT | 1-2 years part-time | For practicing PTs with older MPT or bachelor's degrees who want to upgrade to DPT credentials. |
| Residency ProgramResidency | 1 year post-DPT | Optional advanced training in specialty areas like orthopedics, neurology, or sports. Leads to board certification. |
| Fellowship ProgramFellowship | 1 year post-residency | Highest level of clinical specialization. For PTs seeking expert-level subspecialty practice. |
State license required in all 50 states. Must graduate from accredited DPT program and pass NPTE.
Multi-state license available in 40+ compact states. Allows practice across state lines without additional licenses.
CPR certification required for most clinical positions.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| OCS Orthopedic Clinical Specialist Most popular board certification. Demonstrates advanced competence in orthopedic PT. Requires 2,000+ hours of specialty practice. | ABPTS | +5-15% |
| NCS Neurologic Clinical Specialist Board certification for PTs specializing in stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, and neurological conditions. | ABPTS | +5-15% |
| SCS Sports Clinical Specialist For PTs working with athletes and sports-related injuries. Popular for outpatient and sports medicine settings. | ABPTS | +5-15% |
| GCS Geriatric Clinical Specialist Specialization in treating older adults. Valuable in skilled nursing, home health, and acute care settings. | ABPTS | +5-10% |
| CCS Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Clinical Specialist For PTs in cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab, and acute care cardiopulmonary settings. | ABPTS | +5-10% |
| Dry Needling Certification Dry Needling Certificate Credential for performing trigger point dry needling. Requirements vary by state. Typically 50-100 hours of training. | Various (state-dependent) | +2-5% |
- 0-3 yearsStaff Physical Therapist
Entry-level PT working under supervision initially. Building clinical skills across patient populations.
- 3-7 yearsSenior Physical Therapist
Experienced clinician with specialty expertise. May mentor new grads and students.
- 5-10 yearsBoard-Certified Clinical Specialist
PT with OCS, NCS, or other board certification. Recognized expert in specialty area.
- 7-12 yearsClinic Director / Rehab Manager
Manages clinic operations, staff, and budgets. Combines clinical work with administration.
- 12+ yearsRegional Director / VP of Rehab
Oversees multiple clinics or hospital rehab services. Strategic leadership role.
- VariesPractice Owner / Entrepreneur
Opens and operates private practice. Requires business skills alongside clinical expertise.
Schedule. Typically Monday-Friday, 8-hour days in outpatient settings. Hospital and SNF PTs may work weekends. Home health offers more flexible scheduling.
Physical demands. Moderately physical. Requires standing, bending, and physically assisting patients with exercises and transfers. Some manual therapy techniques require strength.
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.
What clinicians ask about Physical Therapist pay.
What is the average Physical Therapist salary in 2026?
The median Physical Therapist salary is $53.00/hr (approximately $110,240/yr) based on 21,066 active job postings.
What is the pay range for Physical Therapist?
Hourly pay ranges from $43.00 at the 25th percentile to $70.90 at the 75th percentile, with the top 10% earning above $77.38/hr.
Which state pays Physical Therapist roles the most?
Alaska currently leads with a median of $81.88/hr across 215 postings.
How many employers are hiring Physical Therapists?
Our dataset shows 3,225 unique employers posting Physical Therapist roles across 54 states.
Where does TrueRounds get Physical Therapist salary data?
All salary figures are computed from active US healthcare job postings with listed pay ranges, collected over a rolling 6-month window and weighted by posting volume.
Explore other Allied Health Professional tracks.
Physical Therapist sits inside the Physical Therapy track. Here are sibling tracks across Allied Health Professional — same category, different clinical focus and pay envelope.
Active US healthcare postings. Weighted by volume. Refreshed daily.
Pay benchmarks are computed from active job postings with listed pay ranges, collected on a rolling 6-month window. Each role's percentiles are weighted by posting volume so a metro with two postings doesn't outweigh a metro with two hundred. Outliers (postings priced more than 4× the role median) are dropped to avoid contract-line distortion.
Use the data, then push back.
Bring these numbers into your next contract conversation. Recruiters know what the market pays — now you do too.