Best states for Physical Therapists in 2026: cost-of-living adjusted ranking
$102,556
Physical Therapists earned $102,556 nationally in May 2024. See the COL-adjusted state ranking that flips California to last and Nevada to first.
Physical Therapists earned a national median of $102,556 in May 2024. But where you work determines whether that number stretches or shrinks.
TL;DR
- National median for Physical Therapists (SOC 29-1123): $102,556 (BLS OES, May 2024).
- Nominal pay varies sharply by state. California pays the most in raw dollars. The South and Midwest often pay less on paper but more in real purchasing power.
- A cost-of-living adjustment (COL adjustment) flips several rankings. A state paying $89,000 in Tennessee can beat a state paying $110,000 in California once rent, taxes, and consumer prices enter the math.
- The occupation carries a bright outlook: BLS projects 10.9% employment growth from 2024 to 2034, faster than average.
- Scroll to the ranked table for the state-by-state comparison. Use our COL adjustment calculator to run your personal numbers.
The Number (with Source)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) program reported that Physical Therapists (SOC 29-1123) earned a national median annual wage of $102,556 in May 2024.
Physical Therapists earned a national median annual wage of $102,556 in May 2024 (BLS OES, retrieved 2026-05-22).
The mean was $102,409, a fraction below the median. That near-perfect alignment means the wage distribution is unusually symmetric. There are no extreme outliers pulling the average away from the middle.
Total employment counted was 248,620 Physical Therapists nationwide. From here we shorten to $103k when referencing the national median for readability.
The $103k figure is your baseline. Every state comparison in this article runs against it.
What the Number Does Not Say
BLS OES is a payroll survey of employers, not workers. It counts jobs, not people, and it counts only W-2 wages. Self-employed PTs, contract-only clinicians, and travel PTs between assignments may not be fully represented.
OES also suppresses state-level medians when the sample is too small to meet BLS disclosure standards. For any suppressed state cell in the table below, we note the suppression and use the available percentile or a regional estimate.
The national figure is also a 12-month snapshot ending May 2024. It does not capture mid-2025 contract cycles, post-pandemic staffing bonuses, or agency rates in high-demand rural markets.
The BLS number is the most credible public floor. It is not the ceiling.
The Decision Frame: COL-Adjusted State Rankings
Why Nominal Pay Misleads Relocating PTs
A PT offered $115,000 in San Francisco and $88,000 in Knoxville is not looking at a $27,000 gap in real compensation. Once you apply the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (BEA RPP), the San Francisco offer often lands below the Knoxville offer in purchasing power.
We built this ranking using:
- BLS OES May 2024 state-level wages for SOC 29-1123.
- BEA RPP 2023 (the most recent full-year release) as the cost-of-living deflator. RPP values above 100 mean a state is more expensive than the national average.
- Formula: COL-adjusted wage = (state nominal median) ÷ (state RPP ÷ 100).
Where BLS suppressed a state median, we flag the cell. We do not substitute invented figures.
How to Read the Table
- Nominal Median: the BLS-reported figure, unadjusted.
- BEA RPP (2023): the price level index. US average = 100.
- COL-Adjusted Median: what the nominal wage is worth in national-average purchasing power.
- vs. National ($103k): the adjusted premium or discount versus the national median.
Ranked Table: Physical Therapist Pay by State, COL-Adjusted
Source: BLS OES May 2024 + BEA RPP 2023. States with suppressed BLS medians are excluded from ranking and noted separately.
| Rank | State | Nominal Median | BEA RPP | COL-Adj. Median | vs. $103k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $108,490 | 97.5 | $111,272 | +$8,716 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $91,030 | 89.9 | $101,257 | -$1,299 |
| 3 | Indiana | $90,580 | 90.1 | $100,533 | -$2,023 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $92,420 | 92.4 | $100,022 | -$2,534 |
| 5 | Georgia | $92,980 | 93.3 | $99,657 | -$2,899 |
| 6 | Texas | $96,170 | 97.0 | $99,144 | -$3,412 |
| 7 | Florida | $93,640 | 96.0 | $97,542 | -$5,014 |
| 8 | Arizona | $93,220 | 96.6 | $96,502 | -$6,054 |
| 9 | Ohio | $88,940 | 92.3 | $96,360 | -$6,196 |
| 10 | Michigan | $88,290 | 92.7 | $95,242 | -$7,314 |
| 11 | Virginia | $95,970 | 101.0 | $95,020 | -$7,536 |
| 12 | Colorado | $100,330 | 106.1 | $94,561 | -$7,995 |
| 13 | Washington | $104,530 | 110.9 | $94,257 | -$8,299 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $92,190 | 98.5 | $93,594 | -$8,962 |
| 15 | Oregon | $100,650 | 108.3 | $92,938 | -$9,618 |
| 16 | New York | $108,150 | 116.7 | $92,673 | -$9,883 |
| 17 | Illinois | $95,010 | 102.7 | $92,512 | -$10,044 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $103,520 | 113.9 | $90,886 | -$11,670 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $108,300 | 119.5 | $90,628 | -$11,928 |
| 20 | California | $115,090 | 130.9 | $87,922 | -$14,634 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $99,320 | 128.0 | $77,594 | -$24,962 |
Note: Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming — BLS state-level medians for SOC 29-1123 either were not published in the May 2024 OES tables at time of retrieval or fell outside the top states by employment concentration. Pull the full state file at BLS OES state data to check your specific state.
The Top 3 States in Detail
1. Nevada
Nevada's combination of a nominal median near $108,490 and a below-average RPP of 97.5 produces the highest COL-adjusted figure in this dataset at $111,272. Las Vegas and the Reno metro both show strong outpatient clinic demand. Nevada has no state income tax, which adds several percentage points of effective take-home on top of the adjusted wage.
2. Tennessee
Tennessee's nominal median of $91,030 sits $12,000 below the national figure. After adjusting for an RPP of 89.9, it clears $101,000 in purchasing power. Tennessee also has no state income tax on wages. The Nashville metro in particular has seen hospital system expansion that pushed PT demand above regional averages.
3. Indiana
Indiana's nominal pay ($90,580) tracks close to Tennessee. The RPP of 90.1 is nearly identical. The adjusted figure of $100,533 reflects a tight Midwest labor market for licensed PTs and a cost base that remains well below coastal states.
The California Reality Check
California's nominal median of $115,490 looks like the obvious winner. It is the highest raw number in the BLS dataset.
After adjusting for an RPP of 130.9, the real-purchasing-power equivalent drops to $87,922. That is $14,634 below the national median in real terms, and it ranks last among the states in this table.
This does not mean PTs should avoid California. Network effects, career trajectory, and specialization opportunities in dense metro markets are real and hard to price. But the pay gap that looks like a raise often erodes once rent, transportation, and state income tax enter the calculation.
A $115k offer in California is worth less in real purchasing power than a $91k offer in Tennessee, once BEA price parities are applied.
Use the COL adjustment calculator to enter your specific offer and origin city.
Three Non-Pay Factors That Move the Decision
A salary comparison captures wages. It does not capture everything a relocation decision carries. Three factors shift the math beyond the table:
- State income tax: Nevada and Tennessee have no wage income tax. California's top marginal rate is 13.3%. On a $115k gross salary, that is a meaningful post-tax difference even before COL enters the picture.
- PT licensure reciprocity: Most states participate in the PT Compact, which simplifies multi-state licensure. Confirm your target state's compact status before signing an offer. A non-compact state adds time and cost to a lateral move.
- Employment growth by state: BLS projects 10.9% national growth for Physical Therapists through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections). States with aging populations concentrated in Sun Belt metros (Arizona, Florida, Nevada) are likely to see above-average local demand. Supply pipelines from PT doctoral programs vary by state.
Career Trajectory: What the Numbers Look Like Over Time
BLS OES provides percentile data, not tenure breakdowns. But the 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Physical Therapists nationally gives a directional picture of upside.
| Percentile | Annual Wage (May 2024) |
|---|---|
| 10th | ~$63,000 |
| 25th | ~$82,000 |
| 50th (median) | $102,556 |
| 75th | ~$122,000 |
| 90th | ~$138,000 |
Source: BLS OES May 2024 (oes_291123.htm). Percentile figures below the median are rounded; the median is exact.
Movement from the 25th to the 75th percentile, a reasonable proxy for early-career to senior-level progression, represents a $40,000 nominal increase. In a low-COL state, that spread is worth more in real terms than the equivalent spread in a high-COL market.
Read the full physical therapist salary breakdown by state for state-level percentile data.
For a longer-term view, Physical Therapists hold a Job Zone 5 classification and require a doctoral or professional degree (O*NET 29-1123.00). Entry into the profession already implies a significant education investment. Location decisions compound that investment. Getting the state right in year one has outsized returns over a 10-year horizon.
If you are still mapping your path into the field, see our guide on how to become a physical therapist for licensure timelines by state.
Sources and Methodology
| Source | Observation Date | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| BLS OES SOC 29-1123 | May 2024, retrieved 2026-05-22 | National and state median annual wages; employment total |
| BLS Employment Projections | 2024-2034 cycle, retrieved 2026-05-22 | 10-year employment growth rate (10.9%) |
| O*NET 29-1123.00 | Retrieved 2026-05-22 | Job Zone, education, bright outlook flag |
| BEA Regional Price Parities | 2023 (most recent full-year release) | State-level COL deflator; formula: nominal ÷ (RPP ÷ 100) |
Rounding policy: The national median of $102,556 is exact from BLS. State nominal medians are as reported. COL-adjusted figures are rounded to the nearest whole dollar. We do not round federal figures without this disclosure.
Suppression note: BLS suppresses state cells where the sample does not meet disclosure standards. We excluded those states from the ranked table rather than substitute estimated figures.
FAQ
What is the median salary for a Physical Therapist in 2024?
The BLS OES program reported a national median annual wage of $102,556 for Physical Therapists (SOC 29-1123) in May 2024. The mean was $102,409, nearly identical, which signals a symmetric distribution without major outliers. This figure covers W-2 employees counted in employer payroll surveys. Self-employed and per-diem contract PTs may fall outside this sample.
Which state pays Physical Therapists the most?
On a nominal basis, California reported the highest median at approximately $115,090 in May 2024. On a cost-of-living-adjusted basis, Nevada ranks first in this analysis, with an adjusted equivalent of $111,272 after applying BEA Regional Price Parity data. The answer depends entirely on whether you are comparing gross pay or purchasing power. For most relocation decisions, purchasing power is the number that matters.
Is the job outlook for Physical Therapists good in 2026?
BLS projects 10.9% employment growth for Physical Therapists from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average. The occupation carries a bright outlook designation. Total employment is projected to grow from 267,000 to 296,000 positions over that decade. Demand drivers include an aging US population and expanded outpatient rehabilitation services.
How does cost of living affect a Physical Therapist's salary?
Cost of living erodes nominal wages in high-price states and amplifies them in low-price states. California's $115k median, adjusted for a BEA RPP of 130.9, is worth roughly $88k in national purchasing power. Tennessee's $91k median, adjusted for an RPP of 89.9, is worth roughly $101k. The gap between the two in real terms is approximately $13,000 in Tennessee's favor, despite California's higher nominal figure.
Do Physical Therapists need a new license when they move states?
Most US states participate in the Physical Therapy Compact, which allows PT license holders to practice in member states without a full separate application. Non-compact states require a standalone licensure process, which can take 60-90 days and add out-of-pocket fees. Always confirm compact membership for your target state before accepting an offer. The PT Compact Commission maintains a current member-state list at their official site.
What education is required to become a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapists require a doctoral or professional degree, typically a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). O*NET classifies the occupation as Job Zone 5, the highest preparation level. Most DPT programs run three years post-bachelor's. Licensure requires passing the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). See our full guide on how to become a physical therapist for state-by-state program and licensure details.