Physical Therapists in Washington. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
Washington's median wage for Physical Therapists was $102,140 in 2024, essentially matching the national median of $102,556. The gap is under $500. For a state with one of the higher costs of living in the country, that near-parity is worth noting.
Cost of living makes the comparison less flattering. Washington's overall price index sits at 108.9, meaning goods and services run about 9% more expensive here than the national baseline. In purchasing terms, that $102,140 buys roughly what $93,700 would elsewhere. A Physical Therapist earning the national median in a mid-cost state takes home more in real terms than one earning the same figure in Seattle or Spokane.
The spread across earners is wide. At the 10th percentile, PTs in Washington earned $75,040. At the 90th, they earned $134,430. Top earners made about 1.8 times what those at the bottom did. That gap usually reflects differences in setting (hospital versus outpatient clinic versus home health), years of experience, and whether someone holds a specialty certification. Entry-level and senior wages in this occupation do not cluster close together.
BLS projects employment for Physical Therapists to grow 10.9% between 2024 and 2034, faster than average. Washington's 5,460 employed PTs in 2024 give that growth rate some weight in absolute numbers. Demand is driven largely by an aging population requiring rehabilitation services, a pattern playing out in most states, not a Washington-specific dynamic.
Salary distribution
Where Washington physical therapists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $92,490 and $129,390, with a median of $105,950.
Physical Therapists in Washington: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 41 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $90,730. 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 | 26 | $90,250 |
| Level II — qualified | 13 | $90,730 |
| Level III — experienced | 2 | $104,864 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Physical Therapists in Washington. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C. | Physical Therapist | 6 | $90,730 |
| EPIC PT, Health & Performance, LLC | Physical Terapist | 4 | $90,000 |
| Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement | Research Fellow - Physical Therapist | 4 | $78,582 |
| Robert E. Tutland, RPT, Inc., PS | Physical Therapist | 4 | $80,000 |
| ATI Holdings LLC | Physical Therapist | 3 | $93,000 |
| ATI HOLDINGS, LLC | Physical Therapist | 3 | $106,118 |
| Grandison Management, Inc. | Physical Therapist | 3 | $76,898 |
| Integrated Rehabilitation Group PC | Physical Therapist | 2 | $89,482 |
| Occupational Health Centers of Washington P.S. | Center Therapy Director / Physical Therapist | 2 | $94,500 |
| ATI Holdings, LLC | Clinic Director | 1 | $112,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Physical Therapist at Integrated Rehabilitation Group PC$89,482EdmondsWage Level IIDecided Mar 2, 2026I-200-26054-659011
- Physical Therapist at Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C.$89,482MarysvilleWage Level IIDecided Jan 16, 2026I-200-26010-550066
- Physical Therapist at PeaceHealth$114,400VancouverWage Level IDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25350-484748
- Staff Physical Therapy at Quality Care Physical Therapy, Inc.$105,040BothellWage Level IDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-480304
- Clinic Director at ATI HOLDINGS, LLC$110,000IssaquahWage Level IDecided Dec 10, 2025I-200-25337-455485
- Physical Therapist at Grandison Management, Inc.$73,819RentonWage Level IDecided Dec 1, 2025I-200-25325-428973
- Research Fellow - Physical Therapist at Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement$90,501BellevueWage Level IDecided Nov 21, 2025I-200-25318-409092
- Physical Therapist at Robert E. Tutland, RPT, Inc., PS$78,000BellevueWage Level IDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25307-359874
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 Washington
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 Washington
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 31 certified offers. The most common variant is Physical Therapist at a median of $90,730.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C. | 27 | $90,730 |
| Research Fellow - Physical Therapist | Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement | 4 | $78,582 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Physical Therapists in Washington, by industry
Median offered wage across 41 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Healthcare leads with a median of $93,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Healthcare Clinical Employee Services, P.C. | 33 | $93,000 |
| Professional services | Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement | 8 | $76,898 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Washington 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 Washington
Metro-level salary data for physical therapists in major Washington metropolitan areas.
- Seattle$107,290
Compare Physical Therapists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Washington with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Physical Therapists in Washington?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Physical Therapists in Washington is $105,950.
- How does Washington compare to the national median for Physical Therapists?
- The Washington median is +1.4% versus the BLS national figure of $104,506.
- What is the salary range for Physical Therapists in Washington?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $78,300 and the 90th-percentile at $137,560, 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.