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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

29-1123 Physical Therapists

Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.


National estimates for Physical Therapists
Industry profile for Physical Therapists
Geographic profile for Physical Therapists

National estimates for Physical Therapists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Physical Therapists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
240,820 1.3 % $ 48.29 $ 100,440 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physical Therapists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 34.74 $ 39.41 $ 47.94 $ 54.63 $ 62.92
Annual Wage (2) $ 72,260 $ 81,970 $ 99,710 $ 113,630 $ 130,870


Industry profile for Physical Therapists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Physical Therapists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Physical Therapists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Physical Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 89,680 7.86 $ 44.53 $ 92,620
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 59,310 1.04 $ 50.25 $ 104,520
Home Health Care Services 26,360 1.65 $ 56.01 $ 116,500
Offices of Physicians 15,410 0.54 $ 46.03 $ 95,730
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 12,520 0.91 $ 48.65 $ 101,200

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Physical Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 89,680 7.86 $ 44.53 $ 92,620
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 10,790 3.77 $ 49.31 $ 102,560
Home Health Care Services 26,360 1.65 $ 56.01 $ 116,500
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 59,310 1.04 $ 50.25 $ 104,520
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 12,520 0.91 $ 48.65 $ 101,200

Top paying industries for Physical Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 5,180 0.49 $ 59.57 $ 123,900
Home Health Care Services 26,360 1.65 $ 56.01 $ 116,500
Educational Support Services 390 0.15 $ 53.98 $ 112,270
Management of Companies and Enterprises 630 0.02 $ 53.82 $ 111,950
Individual and Family Services 1,860 0.06 $ 52.38 $ 108,950


Geographic profile for Physical Therapists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Physical Therapists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Physical Therapists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of physical therapists by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Physical Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 24,200 1.35 0.85 $ 54.94 $ 114,270
Texas 17,170 1.27 0.80 $ 51.42 $ 106,960
Florida 16,150 1.69 1.06 $ 45.60 $ 94,850
New York 15,560 1.66 1.04 $ 48.47 $ 100,810
Pennsylvania 11,780 1.98 1.25 $ 47.58 $ 98,970


Map of location quotient of physical therapists by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physical Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rhode Island 1,240 2.53 1.60 $ 45.75 $ 95,160
Montana 1,210 2.42 1.52 $ 41.13 $ 85,550
Maine 1,450 2.33 1.47 $ 44.10 $ 91,720
Connecticut 3,790 2.28 1.44 $ 49.94 $ 103,870
Delaware 1,060 2.26 1.42 $ 50.26 $ 104,530


Map of annual mean wages of physical therapists by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Physical Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 24,200 1.35 0.85 $ 54.94 $ 114,270
Nevada 1,880 1.27 0.80 $ 53.59 $ 111,460
Alaska 570 1.84 1.16 $ 53.28 $ 110,830
New Jersey 7,310 1.74 1.10 $ 52.54 $ 109,280
Texas 17,170 1.27 0.80 $ 51.42 $ 106,960



Map of employment of physical therapists by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Physical Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 16,160 1.70 1.07 $ 52.31 $ 108,790
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,120 1.47 0.93 $ 51.41 $ 106,930
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 8,870 1.97 1.24 $ 50.78 $ 105,620
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 5,940 2.10 1.32 $ 50.29 $ 104,600
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 5,430 2.00 1.26 $ 42.20 $ 87,770
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,270 1.91 1.20 $ 48.42 $ 100,700
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,490 1.45 0.92 $ 52.35 $ 108,880
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,290 1.08 0.68 $ 52.67 $ 109,560
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,650 1.15 0.72 $ 54.41 $ 113,180
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 3,420 1.21 0.77 $ 48.16 $ 100,170


Map of location quotient of physical therapists by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physical Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Homosassa Springs, FL 130 3.87 2.44 $ 49.88 $ 103,760
Las Cruces, NM 270 3.57 2.25 $ 43.73 $ 90,950
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 140 3.38 2.13 $ 45.73 $ 95,110
Rochester, MN 400 3.32 2.09 $ 44.33 $ 92,210
Jonesboro, AR 190 3.18 2.00 $ 44.07 $ 91,670
Victoria, TX 120 3.05 1.92 $ 45.62 $ 94,880
Missoula, MT 180 2.87 1.81 $ 40.28 $ 83,790
Altoona, PA 160 2.84 1.79 $ 42.22 $ 87,810
Gadsden, AL 90 2.84 1.79 $ 49.18 $ 102,290
Corvallis, OR 110 2.82 1.78 $ 47.88 $ 99,590


Map of annual mean wages of physical therapists by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Physical Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,350 1.18 0.75 $ 65.58 $ 136,400
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,920 1.21 0.76 $ 62.37 $ 129,720
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 1,500 1.43 0.90 $ 60.67 $ 126,200
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 230 1.70 1.07 $ 59.79 $ 124,360
Santa Rosa, CA 280 1.34 0.85 $ 59.11 $ 122,960
Merced, CA 60 0.77 0.48 $ 58.39 $ 121,440
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 280 1.38 0.87 $ 56.49 $ 117,500
El Centro, CA 60 0.91 0.57 $ 56.32 $ 117,140
Carson City, NV 60 1.87 1.18 $ 55.80 $ 116,070
Modesto, CA 370 1.91 1.20 $ 55.46 $ 115,370

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Physical Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 490 1.26 0.79 $ 46.92 $ 97,600
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 450 2.36 1.49 $ 43.99 $ 91,500
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 440 1.37 0.86 $ 46.31 $ 96,320
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 430 2.30 1.45 $ 46.29 $ 96,290
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 420 1.84 1.16 $ 44.58 $ 92,730

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Physical Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 130 3.76 2.37 $ 46.71 $ 97,170
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 240 2.86 1.81 $ 41.55 $ 86,410
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 270 2.58 1.63 $ 44.35 $ 92,250
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 380 2.55 1.61 $ 39.74 $ 82,650
North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 280 2.40 1.51 $ 43.72 $ 90,940

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Physical Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 110 1.07 0.67 $ 60.54 $ 125,920
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 80 1.35 0.85 $ 56.52 $ 117,560
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 130 1.26 0.80 $ 55.74 $ 115,940
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 170 1.10 0.69 $ 54.40 $ 113,150
Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 140 1.75 1.10 $ 54.29 $ 112,930


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024