Physical Therapists in Kentucky. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
Physical Therapists in Kentucky earned a median of $97,500 in 2024, about 4.9% below the US median of $102,556. That gap is smaller than it looks once you account for local prices.
Kentucky's cost-of-living index sits at 90.6, meaning everyday expenses run roughly 9% cheaper than the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the $97,500 median buys closer to $107,600 in national-dollar terms, which puts Kentucky PTs ahead of the national figure in real purchasing power.
The spread across the field is wide. The bottom 10% of earners made $61,810, while the top 10% reached $121,590. That's a gap of about $60,000 between early-career or lower-paying settings and experienced clinicians in higher-demand roles. The 25th-to-75th-percentile range, $78,230 to $108,400, gives a better picture of where most practicing PTs in the state land.
Notice also that the mean wage of $93,370 falls below the median of $97,500. That is the reverse of what we see in most professional occupations. It suggests a concentration of PTs on the lower end of the pay range, possibly reflecting the mix of rural and smaller-market settings across Kentucky, where private practice or hospital system rates tend to be lower than in dense metro areas.
On the outlook side, BLS projects 10.9% growth for this occupation nationally between 2024 and 2034, placing it in the faster-than-average category. The state-level growth trajectory is not published separately, but Kentucky's aging rural population creates conditions consistent with sustained demand.
Employment stood at 3,570 Physical Therapists across the state in 2024.
Salary distribution
Where Kentucky physical therapists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $80,990 and $114,820, with a median of $100,710.
Physical Therapists in Kentucky: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 5 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $72,000. 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 | 5 | $72,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Physical Therapists in Kentucky. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Orthopedic Rehabilitation, LLC | Physical Therapist | 3 | $72,000 |
| Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. | Staff Physical Therapist | 2 | $84,157 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Physical Therapist at Kentucky Orthopedic Rehabilitation, LLC$72,000LexingtonWage Level IDecided Aug 21, 2025I-200-25226-242196
- Staff Physical Therapist at Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc.$75,109MiddlesboroWage Level IDecided Aug 5, 2025I-200-25210-207907
- Physical Therapist at Kentucky Orthopedic Rehabilitation, LLC$72,000GeorgetownWage Level IDecided Aug 21, 2025I-200-25226-242202
- Physical Therapist at Kentucky Orthopedic Rehabilitation, LLC$72,000WinchesterWage Level IDecided Aug 21, 2025I-200-25226-242231
- Staff Physical Therapist at Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc.$93,205HazardWage Level IDecided May 28, 2025I-200-25140-998874
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 Kentucky
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.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Kentucky 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 Kentucky
Metro-level salary data for physical therapists in major Kentucky metropolitan areas.
- Louisville$102,260
Compare Physical Therapists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Kentucky with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Physical Therapists in Kentucky?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Physical Therapists in Kentucky is $100,710.
- How does Kentucky compare to the national median for Physical Therapists?
- The Kentucky median is -3.6% versus the BLS national figure of $104,506.
- What is the salary range for Physical Therapists in Kentucky?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $73,900 and the 90th-percentile at $126,920, 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.