Physical Therapists in Michigan. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
Michigan physical therapists earned a median wage of $98,960 in 2024, about 3.5% below the US median of $102,556. That gap is smaller than it looks once cost of living enters the picture. Michigan's cost-of-living index sits at 92.9, meaning prices here run roughly 7% below the national baseline. In purchasing-power terms, that $98,960 stretches further than the same paycheck would in most other states.
The range from bottom to top earners is worth noting. Physical therapists at the 10th percentile earned $75,440 in 2024. Those at the 90th percentile earned $118,940. Top earners made about 1.6 times what entry-level peers made, a moderate spread for a licensed clinical occupation. The mean wage of $96,840 came in just below the median, which tells us high earners are not pulling the average up by much. Pay in this field tends to cluster relatively tightly once you get past the entry years.
Employment stood at 7,800 physical therapists statewide. BLS projects this occupation to grow 10.9% between 2024 and 2034, a pace BLS classifies as faster than average. An aging population and ongoing demand from post-surgical and injury rehabilitation drive most of that forecast nationally. Michigan's numbers follow the broader trend rather than breaking from it in any meaningful way the data shows.
So the headline picture is modest: a nominal wage slightly under the national figure, a spread that rewards experience without extreme outliers, and solid projected growth over the next decade. For a state where the cost of groceries, housing, and transportation runs below most coastal markets, the real-dollar position for physical therapists is more competitive than the raw median suggests.
Salary distribution
Where Michigan physical therapists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $86,120 and $108,760, with a median of $100,900.
Physical Therapists in Michigan: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 101 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $85,280. 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 | 43 | $75,587 |
| Level II — qualified | 48 | $89,220 |
| Level III — experienced | 10 | $100,816 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Physical Therapists in Michigan. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandison Management, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 30 | $75,587 |
| Great Lakes Home Health Services, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 6 | $103,355 |
| T.O.N.E. Home Health Services, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 6 | $85,000 |
| United Rehab Solutions LLC | Physical Therapist | 5 | $85,280 |
| ATI HOLDINGS, LLC | Clinic Director | 4 | $97,867 |
| Lakeland Hospitals at Niles and St. Joseph, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 4 | $87,110 |
| Sensory Rehabilitation, LLC | Physical Therapist | 3 | $88,400 |
| VHS Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 3 | $92,000 |
| Michigan In-Home Partner-III, LLC (383) | Physical Therapist | 2 | $598,160 |
| Nurturing Home Care, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 2 | $100,470 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Physical Therapist at Safe Hands Home Health Care LLC$80,000Farmington HillsWage Level IDecided Mar 3, 2026I-200-26055-661199
- PHYSICAL THERAPIST at Optimum Plus Home Care LLC$89,000SouthfieldWage Level IIDecided Feb 23, 2026I-200-26048-644261
- Physical Therapist at T.O.N.E Home Health Services, INC.$88,500Farmington HillsWage Level IIDecided Feb 18, 2026I-200-26041-631823
- Director of Physical Therapy at Plymouth Physical Therapy Specialists, Ltd. Partnership$90,000CantonWage Level IIDecided Feb 18, 2026I-200-26041-632064
- Physical Therapist at Great Lakes Home Health Services, Inc.$99,970JacksonWage Level IIDecided Feb 6, 2026I-200-26030-607996
- Physical Therapist at United Rehab Solutions LLC$89,440Sterling HeightsWage Level IIDecided Jan 2, 2026I-200-25358-509731
- Physical Therapist at Grandison Management, Inc.$71,448MonroeWage Level IDecided Dec 11, 2025I-200-25338-458625
- Physical Therapist at Grandison Management, Inc.$71,448MonroeWage Level IDecided Dec 11, 2025I-200-25338-458549
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 Michigan
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 Michigan
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 97 certified offers. The most common variant is Physical Therapist at a median of $85,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist | Grandison Management, Inc. | 94 | $85,000 |
| Clinic Director | ATI HOLDINGS, LLC | 3 | $96,919 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Physical Therapists in Michigan, by industry
Median offered wage across 100 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Healthcare leads with a median of $89,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Great Lakes Home Health Services, Inc. | 70 | $89,000 |
| Professional services | Grandison Management, Inc. | 30 | $75,587 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Michigan 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 Michigan
Metro-level salary data for physical therapists in major Michigan metropolitan areas.
- Detroit$102,970
Compare Physical Therapists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Michigan with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Physical Therapists in Michigan?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Physical Therapists in Michigan is $100,900.
- How does Michigan compare to the national median for Physical Therapists?
- The Michigan median is -3.5% versus the BLS national figure of $104,506.
- What is the salary range for Physical Therapists in Michigan?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $79,600 and the 90th-percentile at $123,980, 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.