Salary distribution
Where California physical therapists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $99,100 and $137,250, with a median of $123,300.
Physical Therapists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 138 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $119,600. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 39 | $103,667 |
| Level II — qualified | 40 | $119,309 |
| Level III — experienced | 32 | $130,957 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 13 | $154,294 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Physical Therapists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vibrantcare Rehabilitation, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 7 | $96,720 |
| Interface Rehab, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 6 | $112,320 |
| California Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C. | Clinic Director “ Physical Therapist | 5 | $136,136 |
| Sutter Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice | Physical Therapist | 4 | $145,007 |
| North East Medical Services | Physical Therapist | 4 | $115,000 |
| iMotion Physical Therapy, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 3 | $109,600 |
| New Life Physical Therapy Services, PC | Physical Therapist | 3 | $126,027 |
| TheraGen LLC | Physical Therapist | 3 | $114,400 |
| Cirby Holdings, LLC | Physical Therapist | 3 | $137,280 |
| Select Cal Physical Therapy, P.C. | Physical Therapist | 3 | $103,667 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Director of Rehabilitation at Hawthorne Holdings LLC$185,000San JoseDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-477766
- Physical Therapist at Amedisys Holding LLC$150,000Pleasant HillDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-465046
- Physical Therapist / Director of Rehab at Functional Pathways of TN, LLC$155,000DavisDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-465019
- Physical Therapist at iMotion Physical Therapy, Inc.$118,000FremontDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-462327
- Home Health Physical Therapist at Marie Star Home Health Services, LLC$180,000San RamonDecided Dec 4, 2025I-200-25330-440960
- Physical Therapist III at Sutter Coast Hospital$132,080Crescent CityDecided Dec 2, 2025I-200-25329-435002
- Physical Therapist at Sutter Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice$140,254SalidaDecided Nov 19, 2025I-200-25316-401098
- Clinic Director “ Physical Therapist at California Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C.$136,136ConcordDecided Nov 18, 2025I-200-25315-397647
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Physical Therapists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Physical Therapists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 111 certified offers. The most common variant is Physical Therapist at a median of $115,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist | Interface Rehab, Inc. | 98 | $115,000 |
| Director of Rehabilitation | Hawthorne Holdings LLC | 7 | $151,840 |
| Clinic Director “ Physical Therapist | California Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C. | 3 | $136,136 |
| Physical Therapist/Center Manager | Vibrantcare Rehabilitation, Inc. | 3 | $120,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Physical Therapists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 138 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Healthcare leads with a median of $120,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Vibrantcare Rehabilitation, Inc. | 135 | $120,000 |
| Professional services | Management Health Systems, LLC | 3 | $88,130 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.6 / 5
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge
- 4.6 / 5
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge
- 4.6 / 5
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Psychology
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Social Perceptiveness
Technical
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
- 02
Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- 03
Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
- 04
Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
- 05
Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
- 06
Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program.
- 07
Administer manual exercises, massage, or traction to help relieve pain, increase patient strength, or decrease or prevent deformity or crippling.
- 08
Obtain patients' informed consent to proposed interventions.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+10.9%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for physical therapists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$137,250
- San Francisco$136,200
- Sacramento$130,160
- Riverside$120,190
- Los Angeles$117,000
- San Diego$105,920
Compare Physical Therapists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Physical Therapists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Physical Therapists in California is $123,300.
- How does California compare to the national median for Physical Therapists?
- The California median is +20.2% versus the BLS national figure of $102,556.
- What is the salary range for Physical Therapists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $81,910 and the 90th-percentile at $161,230, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Physical Therapists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 10.9% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Physical Therapists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Doctoral or professional degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.