Physical Therapists in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
Physical Therapists in California earned a median of $123,300 in 2024, about 20% above the US median of $102,556. That gap is real, but California's cost of living runs roughly 15% above the national average, so after adjusting for what the money actually buys, the effective premium narrows to around 4% to 5%.
The spread between low and high earners is worth a closer look. The bottom 10% earned $81,910 while the top 10% reached $161,230. Top earners make close to twice what entry-level peers take home. That range reflects how much seniority, specialization, and practice setting can shift pay within the same job title.
The average wage of $120,970 sits slightly below the median. That is less common in professional occupations, where a smaller group of very high earners typically pulls the average up. Here it suggests the distribution leans toward the middle, with fewer extreme outliers at the top than you might expect given California's overall wage levels.
BLS projects employment for Physical Therapists to grow 10.9% between 2024 and 2034, a rate it classifies as faster than average. California's 24,380 employed Physical Therapists represent one of the larger state-level concentrations in the country, driven in part by population size and the density of healthcare systems in the major metro areas.
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 $100,790 and $141,260, with a median of $124,190.
Physical Therapists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 163 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $120,000. 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 | 47 | $103,667 |
| Level II — qualified | 57 | $120,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 40 | $133,120 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 18 | $155,147 |
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 |
| California Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C. | Clinic Director “ Physical Therapist | 6 | $133,505 |
| Interface Rehab, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 6 | $112,320 |
| Occupational Health Centers of California, A Medical Corporation | Physical Therapist | 5 | $103,667 |
| Select Cal Physical Therapy, P.C. | Physical Therapist/Center Manager | 5 | $119,891 |
| SPG Therapy & Education, PC | Physical Therapist | 5 | $116,480 |
| 21st Century Home Health Services, Inc. | Case Manager - Physical Therapist | 4 | $125,000 |
| North East Medical Services | Physical Therapist | 4 | $115,000 |
| Sutter Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice | Physical Therapist | 4 | $145,007 |
| TheraGen LLC | Physical Therapist | 4 | $127,200 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Physical Therapist 2 - SP at Humana Inc.$125,133San JoseWage Level IIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-727053
- Physical Therapist at California Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C.$103,043TracyWage Level IIDecided Mar 30, 2026I-200-26082-722304
- Physical Therapist at We Care Rehab Services Inc.$156,000FremontWage Level IIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-719708
- PHYSICAL THERAPIST at COUNTY OF MONTEREY$161,075SALINASDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-719543
- Case Manager - Physical Therapist at 21st Century Home Health Services, Inc.$125,000BurlingameWage Level IIDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-715572
- Physical Therapist at We Care Rehab Services Inc.$156,000FremontWage Level IIDecided Mar 17, 2026I-200-26069-692443
- Physical Therapist at Occupational Health Centers of California, A Medical Corporation$103,667South San FranciscoWage Level IDecided Mar 16, 2026I-200-26068-690146
- Physical Therapist / Director of Rehabilitation at Sagebrush Healthcare, Inc.$152,500FairfieldWage Level IVDecided Mar 16, 2026I-200-26069-690765
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.
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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 125 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. | 108 | $115,000 |
| Director of Rehabilitation | Bridgewood Post-Acute LLC | 8 | $148,720 |
| Physical Therapist/Center Manager | Select Cal Physical Therapy, P.C. | 5 | $120,000 |
| Clinic Director “ Physical Therapist | California Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C. | 4 | $127,473 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Physical Therapists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 163 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Healthcare leads with a median of $120,164.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Vibrantcare Rehabilitation, Inc. | 158 | $120,164 |
| Professional services | Humana Inc. | 4 | $103,719 |
| Government and public sector | COUNTY OF MONTEREY | 1 | $161,075 |
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 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 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 Francisco$141,980
- San Jose$139,000
- Sacramento$131,430
- Riverside$120,110
- San Diego$113,850
- Los Angeles$108,170
Compare Physical Therapists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
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 $124,190.
- How does California compare to the national median for Physical Therapists?
- The California median is +18.8% versus the BLS national figure of $104,506.
- What is the salary range for Physical Therapists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $85,580 and the 90th-percentile at $163,960, 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.