Salary by profession · US · 2026
Physical therapist salary in the US
What is the average physical therapist salary in the US?
The median US physical therapist earns about $99,000 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics), typically $82,000–$118,000. That's around $6,540 a month take-home in a no-tax state, and places the typical physical therapist in roughly the 82nd percentile of US earners — $45,990 above the median.
Verified 12 August 2026
Physical therapist pay and take-home
| Salary | Take-home, no-tax state | Take-home, California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / lower | $82,000 | $66,517 | $62,349 |
| Median | $99,000 | $78,477 | $72,727 |
| Experienced | $118,000 | $91,843 | $84,327 |
How physical therapists compare
The US median individual income is $53,010. At $99,000, the typical physical therapist earns $45,990 more — around the 82nd percentile of all earners. Requires a doctorate (DPT); home health and travel roles can pay above the median.
Location matters as much as the number. The same salary stretches far further in Texas than California. See what you'd keep in your city →