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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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)
225,350 1.0 % $ 44.67 $ 92,920 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Physical Therapists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 29.77 $ 37.38 $ 45.97 $ 49.00 $ 61.11
Annual Wage (2) $ 61,930 $ 77,750 $ 95,620 $ 101,920 $ 127,110


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 82,260 8.46 $ 41.57 $ 86,460
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 55,620 0.99 $ 46.23 $ 96,160
Home Health Care Services 26,900 1.78 $ 50.72 $ 105,510
Offices of Physicians 13,780 0.51 $ 40.93 $ 85,120
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 10,940 4.05 $ 46.69 $ 97,120

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 82,260 8.46 $ 41.57 $ 86,460
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 10,940 4.05 $ 46.69 $ 97,120
Home Health Care Services 26,900 1.78 $ 50.72 $ 105,510
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 55,620 0.99 $ 46.23 $ 96,160
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 10,120 0.72 $ 48.44 $ 100,760

Top paying industries for Physical Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 5,260 0.53 $ 53.56 $ 111,410
Home Health Care Services 26,900 1.78 $ 50.72 $ 105,510
Child Day Care Services 230 0.03 $ 49.06 $ 102,050
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,100 0.02 $ 48.70 $ 101,290
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 10,120 0.72 $ 48.44 $ 100,760


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 2021


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 23,840 1.44 0.90 $ 49.77 $ 103,510
New York 16,130 1.86 1.16 $ 44.18 $ 91,890
Texas 14,040 1.15 0.72 $ 47.28 $ 98,340
Florida 13,220 1.54 0.96 $ 43.57 $ 90,630
Pennsylvania 10,700 1.92 1.20 $ 45.39 $ 94,400


Map of location quotient of physical therapists by state, May 2021


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)
Maine 1,420 2.40 1.50 $ 41.17 $ 85,620
Montana 1,120 2.39 1.49 $ 39.74 $ 82,660
Alaska 680 2.30 1.44 $ 46.63 $ 96,980
Vermont 630 2.21 1.38 $ 41.08 $ 85,440
Wyoming 570 2.20 1.38 $ 42.88 $ 89,190


Map of annual mean wages of physical therapists by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Physical Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 1,860 1.44 0.90 $ 50.10 $ 104,210
California 23,840 1.44 0.90 $ 49.77 $ 103,510
Connecticut 3,410 2.17 1.36 $ 48.64 $ 101,180
Delaware 870 1.99 1.25 $ 48.31 $ 100,490
New Jersey 7,400 1.92 1.20 $ 47.85 $ 99,530



Map of employment of physical therapists by area, May 2021


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 16,100 1.86 1.16 $ 47.54 $ 98,870
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,530 1.67 1.04 $ 45.64 $ 94,940
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 7,140 1.69 1.05 $ 45.58 $ 94,810
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 5,880 2.22 1.39 $ 47.50 $ 98,800
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,700 2.21 1.38 $ 44.21 $ 91,970
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,920 1.09 0.68 $ 46.63 $ 96,980
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 3,730 1.52 0.95 $ 43.97 $ 91,450
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,730 1.27 0.79 $ 47.01 $ 97,770
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 3,490 1.94 1.21 $ 40.05 $ 83,310
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,140 1.72 1.08 $ 41.82 $ 86,990


Map of location quotient of physical therapists by area, May 2021


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)
Bay City, MI 140 4.32 2.70 $ 36.29 $ 75,470
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 140 3.56 2.23 $ 40.95 $ 85,180
Punta Gorda, FL 160 3.19 1.99 $ 39.75 $ 82,680
Waterbury, CT 200 3.07 1.92 $ 47.11 $ 98,000
Johnstown, PA 140 3.02 1.89 $ 41.21 $ 85,710
Las Cruces, NM 200 2.99 1.87 $ 45.42 $ 94,470
Athens-Clarke County, GA 250 2.95 1.84 $ 41.85 $ 87,040
Rochester, MN 340 2.94 1.84 $ 42.17 $ 87,720
New Bedford, MA 180 2.91 1.82 $ 43.75 $ 91,000
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 760 2.83 1.77 $ 42.36 $ 88,100


Map of annual mean wages of physical therapists by area, May 2021


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 1,210 1.13 0.71 $ 59.22 $ 123,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,050 1.36 0.85 $ 56.91 $ 118,370
Midland, TX 70 0.75 0.47 $ 56.19 $ 116,880
Napa, CA 90 1.30 0.81 $ 55.07 $ 114,540
Carson City, NV 70 2.29 1.43 $ 55.04 $ 114,470
Santa Rosa, CA 280 1.44 0.90 $ 54.88 $ 114,150
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 260 1.33 0.83 $ 53.32 $ 110,910
Salinas, CA 170 1.01 0.63 $ 53.30 $ 110,860
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 1,470 1.50 0.94 $ 52.79 $ 109,810
Yuba City, CA 70 1.55 0.97 $ 52.72 $ 109,650

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 520 1.39 0.87 $ 42.31 $ 88,010
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 430 2.37 1.48 $ 40.27 $ 83,760
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 430 1.77 1.11 $ 41.23 $ 85,750
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 400 1.27 0.80 $ 43.40 $ 90,270
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 390 1.74 1.09 $ 45.13 $ 93,870

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 110 3.62 2.26 $ 49.82 $ 103,620
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 220 2.86 1.79 $ 38.69 $ 80,470
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 270 2.73 1.71 $ 39.01 $ 81,140
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 230 2.61 1.63 $ 40.11 $ 83,420
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 360 2.57 1.61 $ 39.84 $ 82,870

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)
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 210 1.46 0.91 $ 50.98 $ 106,050
Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 170 2.33 1.46 $ 50.62 $ 105,290
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 150 1.51 0.94 $ 50.57 $ 105,190
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 110 3.62 2.26 $ 49.82 $ 103,620
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 190 1.53 0.96 $ 49.69 $ 103,360


About May 2021 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 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022