Physical Therapist Salary by U.S. City (2026)

Physical Therapist salaries across 50 U.S. cities, from BLS wage data: median and 10th-90th percentiles, plus cost-of-living-adjusted real pay. Compare metros.

Cities tracked
50
National average
$100440

How Physical Therapist pay varies by city

Across the 50 U.S. metros tracked here, Physical Therapist pay ranges from about $87,210 in Omaha, NE to $131,930 in San Jose, CA (median wage). But the highest nominal pay isn’t the best deal once local prices are factored in: adjusted for cost of living, Wichita, KS delivers the strongest real buying power (about $512,787 in national-average dollars). The U.S. national average for this role is about $100,440.

The table below ranks every metro by median wage. “Real pay” adjusts each salary for local cost of living (BEA Regional Price Parity, U.S. = 100) so you can compare what the paycheck is actually worth. See our methodology for sources and formulas.

CityMedian10th %ile90th %ileCost of living
(US = 100)
Real pay
(COL-adjusted)
San Jose, CA$131930$98140$165660110.4$123525
Sacramento, CA$131760$86620$160370106.7$118309
Oakland, CA$131050$93760$162540115.6$112202
San Francisco, CA$131050$93760$162540115.6$112202
Boston, MA$118696$70706$152288108.3$109634
Houston, TX$110530$78570$14973098.6$114753
Fresno, CA$109610$78930$132550102.2$108430
Arlington, TX$107030$77630$136920
Dallas, TX$107030$77630$136920103.1$106276
San Diego, CA$105480$78390$147330111.9$99654
Seattle, WA$104690$76910$134150111.1$94211
Philadelphia, PA$104670$79220$124800102.6$101995
New York, NY$104010$73620$135960112.6$96648
Long Beach, CA$103930$68080$144310113.6$94157
Los Angeles, CA$103930$68080$144310113.6$94157
Las Vegas, NV$103830$62420$180310100.2$111620
Chicago, IL$103270$80150$133470103.6$101955
Washington, DC$103070$81010$138680108.9$99996
Austin, TX$102720$70000$13452098.1$106938
Indianapolis, IN$102500$66760$12434095.7$103975
Cleveland, OH$101560$77680$122880
San Antonio, TX$101380$63770$12996094.7$104871
Jacksonville, FL$100930$74550$13021099.5$100177
Portland, OR$100390$79420$127300105.4$96129
New Orleans, LA$100260$76060$12620026.3$382928
Memphis, TN$100220$78620$11993092.2$107031
Baltimore, MD$100200$79260$128630104.5$98156
Atlanta, GA$99910$76260$126920100.1$100112
Nashville, TN$99860$79710$12067096.3$103199
Albuquerque, NM$99670$68520$12613095.5$103081
Columbus, OH$99600$75590$12951095.5$104128
Mesa, AZ$99600$77240$126890103.3$97120
Phoenix, AZ$99600$77240$126890103.3$97120
Detroit, MI$99550$76060$118400100.3$96682
Oklahoma City, OK$99530$75210$12298090.4$107325
Denver, CO$99290$74190$133850105.8$93655
Milwaukee, WI$99210$77630$12000096.9$99168
Fort Worth, TX$97498$50714$130246103.1$94576
Minneapolis, MN$97160$81210$112370104.8$93101
Colorado Springs, CO$96930$69940$135570100.7$97292
Charlotte, NC$96780$74920$12035097.3$99170
Kansas City, MO$95920$65560$11951092.5$100623
Tucson, AZ$95890$74200$11931096.9$96877
El Paso, TX$95420$64250$12713089.9$106115
Wichita, KS$94990$66350$12178018.3$512787
Miami, FL$93920$28640$120120114.2$76887
Tulsa, OK$92260$50050$12127089.2$104838
Raleigh, NC$90400$74610$11752098.2$96111
Louisville, KY$89300$48800$11734093.1$94828
Omaha, NE$87210$67440$10862091.9$96920

“Real pay” = average wage × 100 ÷ the metro’s Regional Price Parity — what the salary is worth in national-average dollars. A high-paying city with high costs can rank below a cheaper one on real pay.

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