Physical Therapists in Iowa. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median wage for Physical Therapists in Iowa was $95,890 in 2024, about 6.5% below the national median of $102,556. That gap is real, but it does not tell the whole story.
Iowa's cost of living runs roughly 10% below the national average. Once you account for what the money actually buys, the in-state median translates to around $106,600 in national-baseline dollars, which puts Iowa above the US figure rather than below it.
The spread between low and high earners is moderate. The 10th percentile came in at $69,990 and the 90th at $116,390, so the highest earners made about 1.7 times what the lowest earners made. That is a tighter range than we see in some other healthcare occupations, where sub-specialty and setting vary more sharply. In physical therapy, the difference tends to reflect years of experience, practice ownership, and whether someone works in an outpatient clinic, a hospital, or a home health setting.
One notable detail: the mean annual wage of $92,630 sits below the median of $95,890. That is the reverse of what we usually see in professional occupations. It suggests the upper end of Iowa's PT wage distribution is not pulling as far ahead as it does nationally, and that the state's pay is clustered more tightly around the middle.
BLS projects physical therapy employment to grow 10.9% between 2024 and 2034, faster than average. Iowa's 2,800 employed physical therapists give the state a solid base, and an aging rural population tends to sustain steady demand for outpatient and in-home rehabilitation services.
Salary distribution
Where Iowa physical therapists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $78,810 and $106,070, with a median of $97,560.
Physical Therapists in Iowa: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 17 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $74,443. 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 | 11 | $74,443 |
| Level II — qualified | 5 | $97,760 |
| Level III — experienced | 1 | $93,912 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Physical Therapists in Iowa. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandison Management, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 11 | $74,443 |
| Aegis Therapies, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 3 | $97,760 |
| Central Avenue Healthcare, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 1 | $93,912 |
| Quad City Physical Therapy & Spine, Limited Partnership | Clinic Director | 1 | $95,000 |
| UnityPoint at Home | Physical Therapist | 1 | $110,207 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Physical Therapist at Grandison Management, Inc.$66,165ShenandoahWage Level IDecided Dec 4, 2025I-200-25330-441812
- Physical Therapist at UnityPoint at Home$110,207Cedar RapidsWage Level IIDecided Sep 24, 2025I-200-25260-315878
- Clinic Director at Quad City Physical Therapy & Spine, Limited Partnership$95,000DavenportWage Level IIDecided Mar 28, 2025I-200-25080-795079
- Physical Therapist at Central Avenue Healthcare, Inc.$93,912ClarionWage Level IIIDecided Mar 27, 2025I-200-25079-791157
- Physical Therapist at Aegis Therapies, Inc.$97,760Des MoinesWage Level IIDecided Feb 19, 2025I-200-25042-683631
- Physical Therapist at Aegis Therapies, Inc.$97,760West Des MoinesWage Level IIDecided Feb 19, 2025I-200-25042-683630
- Physical Therapist at Aegis Therapies, Inc.$97,760JohnstonWage Level IIDecided Feb 19, 2025I-200-25042-683632
- PHYSICAL THERAPIST at Grandison Management, Inc.$74,443WapelloWage Level IDecided Nov 21, 2024I-200-24319-474609
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 Iowa
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 in Iowa, by industry
Median offered wage across 17 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $74,443.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Grandison Management, Inc. | 11 | $74,443 |
| Healthcare | Aegis Therapies, Inc. | 6 | $97,760 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Iowa 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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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Physical Therapists in Iowa?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Physical Therapists in Iowa is $97,560.
- How does Iowa compare to the national median for Physical Therapists?
- The Iowa median is -6.6% versus the BLS national figure of $104,506.
- What is the salary range for Physical Therapists in Iowa?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $73,780 and the 90th-percentile at $120,730, 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.