So how much do physical therapists make? In 2025, the average is around $100,440. Experience, specialization, location and facility type can impact that number. Keep reading to find out more about physical therapist salaries and trends.
Key Points
- In 2025, the median salary for physical therapists will be $100,440 based on experience, specialty, location and facility type.
- Specializing in high demand areas like acute care, sports medicine or pediatrics can increase earning potential with the top 10% making over $130,870 per year.
- Location matters, with states like California paying the most and outpatient care centers paying the most competitive.
Physical Therapist Salary in 2025
By 2025 physical therapists will make a median salary of around $100,440. That’s a broad brush stroke influenced by experience, specialty, location and facility type. But the average doesn’t account for every detail like exact location or specific credentials and specialties held by a therapist. Knowing those nuances gives you a better idea of what to expect.
Salary data has limitations in scope and accuracy over time. Plus factors like cost of living, local demand and individual experience can impact the numbers for people as shown by labor statistics which can vary by hour in different aspects of life.
Physical therapists with more experience or in high demand specialties make more. So while the median salary is a good benchmark, individual earnings can vary a lot.
Top Earning Specialties in Physical Therapy
Drilling down into specific areas within physical therapy can have a big impact on a therapist’s pay. Those who focus on specialized areas tend to see big increases in pay. As of May 2023 the top 10% of physical therapists were making over $130,870 per year. High paying specialties are acute care, home health services and sports medicine because of the complex skills and knowledge required for these areas which often come with more financial rewards.Becoming an expert in areas like neurology, pediatrics or cardiovascular therapy not only increases your skills but also your pay. Helping patients through their recovery from cardiac or pulmonary surgeries is particularly lucrative work. Focusing on targeted treatment for children or athletes commands higher pay because that care requires specific skills and deep knowledge that are characteristic of those specialty areas in patient care.
PT Salary by Location
PT salaries are heavily influenced by their location, with the diverse US landscape offering a sliding scale that changes with local demand and cost of living. So areas with higher cost of living tend to pay physical therapists more to match those costs. There’s an interesting distribution of income prospects for physical therapists across the country.
To get a sense of these variations, looking at the top paying states and cities can be informative—especially for those curious about what drives these regional salary differences for individuals in this role.
Top Paying States for Physical Therapists
California is the top state for physical therapists with an average salary of $114,270. That’s a big salary due to high demand and high cost of living in the state. Nevada and Texas are close behind with average annual salaries of $111,460 and $106,960 respectively. These states aren’t just high paying but also have strong job growth in this field.
Alaska has specific incentives like student loan repayment programs to lure physical therapists into areas with a shortage of practitioners. Areas with a shortage of physical therapy professionals tend to pay more as incentives to attract skilled individuals. These states are particularly attractive for those looking to maximize their income.
Top Paying Cities for Physical Therapists
San Francisco is the top city with physical therapists making a median annual salary of around $131,050. That’s a big pay rate due to high cost of living in the area and also mirrors the competitive landscape and high demand for skilled practitioners. San Mateo and San Jose are other Californian cities where you can find some of the highest salaries in this profession because of their booming healthcare industry and high demand for physical therapy services.Within California and beyond—specifically in Santa Rosa and Vallejo—physical therapists get paid well. The trend towards higher pay spans the country. Many cities outside the West Coast offer good earning potential. Physical therapists considering a move could see big pay increases with these opportunities.
Employment Settings and Salaries
The average salary for physical therapists is heavily influenced by where they work. The highest paying salaries on average are in outpatient care centers at $118,800 per year, followed by home health care services at $113,970. These environments require unique skills and pay more for highly skilled professionals.
Conversely, physical therapists in nursing care facilities earn an average salary of $103,590. Those in educational support services earn around $110,390. Specializing in areas like sports medicine or neurology can boost your career prospects and income.
Travel therapy is a path to much higher financial rewards than traditional roles. Knowing these varying salary levels allows physical therapists to make strategic decisions about their career.
Ways to Increase Your Physical Therapist Salary
Physical therapists looking to increase their pay can consider: specialization, advanced certifications, leadership roles and high demand locations. Let’s dive into each of these in more detail.
Advanced Certifications
Having advanced certifications can greatly increase the earning potential of physical therapists. Those who are board certified are in higher salary brackets than their non-certified counterparts because these certifications demonstrate a deeper commitment and expertise in the profession which employers find very desirable.
In a competitive job market, advanced certifications are leverage for physical therapists to increase their pay. These credentials not only boost earning potential but also opportunities for career advancement and specialization in physical therapy.
For those specializing in areas like chronic conditions management, sports medicine or pediatric care, advanced certifications can change their career trajectory.Moving into management roles within the healthcare industry can give physical therapists opportunities to earn more and get more perks. Roles like rehabilitation director or clinic manager bring more responsibilities but also a big pay increase. These positions require a combination of clinical knowledge and leadership skills making them suitable for experienced therapists looking to advance their career.
Taking on leadership roles increases pay scales while fostering professional development and job satisfaction. Physical therapists in these roles can impact patient care more broadly and play a key role in shaping their organization’s strategy, a fulfilling career path for those willing to take on new challenges.
Target High-Demand Locations
Physical therapists who move to areas of high need for their skills get paid more than those in areas of low demand. Moving to rural areas may result in financial benefits due to lower cost of living and potentially higher salaries. States and cities with high demand offer better salary prospects and more job openings which means more career mobility for physical therapists.
In places like San Jose that are known for high demand for healthcare workers, there are many opportunities for physical therapists. Focusing on these areas can increase income and professional development. By being flexible about location, physical therapists can maximize their pay.
Physical Therapist Job Outlook 2030
Physical therapists can expect a booming job market with projections showing a 15% growth in employment between 2022 and 2032. This is faster than the average for all occupations, indicating a growing need for physical therapy services. Most practitioners attribute this growth to factors such as an increase in chronic health conditions among individuals, aging population and the trend towards non-opioid pain management.
Yearly estimates show about 13,600 new openings for physical therapists mainly due to seasoned professionals retiring or transitioning to other careers. With more older adults staying active later in life, there’s a resulting increase in demand for these services. These promising job prospects offer big opportunities not only for those entering this profession but also for existing physical therapists looking to advance in their career.
Physical Therapist Salaries vs Related Professions
Physical therapists earn more than similar professions. In the top quartile, physical therapists made about $113,630 in 2023, more than occupational therapists who made $92,800. This shows the financial benefits of choosing a career in physical therapy.
At the beginning of their careers, those who have graduated from speech-language pathology programs often see starting salaries ranging from $60,000 to $80,000 per year – figures below what physical therapists typically make. Traveling speech-language pathologists can earn substantial weekly pay from $1,600 to $1,900. These figures show how certain specialized roles within allied health professions can offer big paychecks.
These comparisons illustrate the varying salary potential across different sectors within the therapy and rehabilitation services industries.
Conclusion
In 2025, physical therapist salaries are influenced by their area of expertise, where they practice and the environment they work in. Physical therapists can navigate their career better if they understand these factors. By getting additional qualifications, taking on management roles or moving to areas where there’s high demand for physical therapy services, there are many ways to increase income prospects. With a projected robust growth in job opportunities in this field, pursuing a career in physical therapy seems both fulfilling and financially rewarding.
FAQs
What is the average salary of physical therapists in 2025?
The average salary of physical therapists in 2025 is expected to be around $100,440. This reflects the growing demand and importance of their role in healthcare.
Which physical therapy specialties offer the highest salaries?
Acute care, home health and sports medicine are among the physical therapy specialties that offer the highest salaries, with the top 10% of physical therapists earning over $130,870 per year.
How does location affect physical therapist salaries?
Physical therapist salaries can be greatly affected by their location, with California being one of the states where the average pay is higher due to high demand and cost of living.
So, individuals looking to become a physical therapist should consider how their location choice will impact their salary.
How can physical therapists increase their salaries?
Physical therapists can increase their salaries by getting additional certifications, taking on management roles and moving to areas of high demand for their services.
These options increase professional worth and more opportunities.
What is the physical therapist job outlook 2030?
Physical therapist job outlook is good with 15% growth from 2022 to 2032 due to aging population and chronic health conditions.
This means more demand for physical therapy services in the future.
