How Much Do Physical Therapists Make? (2023)

$95,620
Per Year
$45.97
Per Hour

How Much Do Physical Therapists Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that physical therapists make a median annual income of $95,620 or $46 per hour. The lowest 10% of physical therapists earned less than $61,930 and the highest 10% earned more than $127,110.

Do Physical Therapists Get Paid Well?

Physical Therapists are paid well—they earn more than the average worker in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for physical therapists is $95,620 per year. This is 127% more than the average salary for all occupations, which is $45,760.

How Much Do Physical Therapists Make Starting Out?

The BLS does not provide average compensation data for entry-level positions for physical therapists just starting out, but the bottom 25% of physical therapists earn $77,750 each year according to the BLS. How Many Physical Therapists Are There In The United States? In 2021, there were 239,200 physical therapists in the United States. The BLS predicts the number of physical therapists will increase by 21 percent, approximately 49,100 jobs, by 2030.

Where Can Physical Therapists Earn The Most?

Physical Therapists' salaries depend on location and work setting. According to the BLS, physical therapists earn the most in the following industries: offices of other health practitioners, general medical and surgical hospitals and home health care services. The metropolitan areas with the highest pay for physical therapists are:

  1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA - $123,190
  2. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA - $118,370
  3. Midland, TX - $116,880

How Much Do Physical Therapists Earn In Each State?

The table below compares physical therapist salaries across states and U.S. territories (Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wages May 2020). You can also find data for the number of physical therapists in each state as well as the number of physical therapists per 1,000 jobs—a figure that can help you determine the job's popularity in a given location. Not all locations have employment statistics. 

Program outcomes may vary depending on each institution's specific curriculum and employment opportunities are not guranteed.