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.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS) & BEA Regional Price Parities · Updated June 2026

Cities tracked
50
National average
$100,440

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$131,930$98,140$165,660110.4$123,525
Sacramento, CA$131,760$86,620$160,370106.7$118,309
Oakland, CA$131,050$93,760$162,540115.6$112,202
San Francisco, CA$131,050$93,760$162,540115.6$112,202
Boston, MA$118,696$70,706$152,288108.3$109,634
Houston, TX$110,530$78,570$149,73098.6$114,753
Fresno, CA$109,610$78,930$132,550102.2$108,430
Arlington, TX$107,030$77,630$136,920——
Dallas, TX$107,030$77,630$136,920103.1$106,276
San Diego, CA$105,480$78,390$147,330111.9$99,654
Seattle, WA$104,690$76,910$134,150111.1$94,211
Philadelphia, PA$104,670$79,220$124,800102.6$101,995
New York, NY$104,010$73,620$135,960112.6$96,648
Long Beach, CA$103,930$68,080$144,310113.6$94,157
Los Angeles, CA$103,930$68,080$144,310113.6$94,157
Las Vegas, NV$103,830$62,420$180,310100.2$111,620
Chicago, IL$103,270$80,150$133,470103.6$101,955
Washington, DC$103,070$81,010$138,680108.9$99,996
Austin, TX$102,720$70,000$134,52098.1$106,938
Indianapolis, IN$102,500$66,760$124,34095.7$103,975
Cleveland, OH$101,560$77,680$122,880——
San Antonio, TX$101,380$63,770$129,96094.7$104,871
Jacksonville, FL$100,930$74,550$130,21099.5$100,177
Portland, OR$100,390$79,420$127,300105.4$96,129
New Orleans, LA$100,260$76,060$126,20026.3$382,928
Memphis, TN$100,220$78,620$119,93092.2$107,031
Baltimore, MD$100,200$79,260$128,630104.5$98,156
Atlanta, GA$99,910$76,260$126,920100.1$100,112
Nashville, TN$99,860$79,710$120,67096.3$103,199
Albuquerque, NM$99,670$68,520$126,13095.5$103,081
Columbus, OH$99,600$75,590$129,51095.5$104,128
Mesa, AZ$99,600$77,240$126,890103.3$97,120
Phoenix, AZ$99,600$77,240$126,890103.3$97,120
Detroit, MI$99,550$76,060$118,400100.3$96,682
Oklahoma City, OK$99,530$75,210$122,98090.4$107,325
Denver, CO$99,290$74,190$133,850105.8$93,655
Milwaukee, WI$99,210$77,630$120,00096.9$99,168
Fort Worth, TX$97,498$50,714$130,246103.1$94,576
Minneapolis, MN$97,160$81,210$112,370104.8$93,101
Colorado Springs, CO$96,930$69,940$135,570100.7$97,292
Charlotte, NC$96,780$74,920$120,35097.3$99,170
Kansas City, MO$95,920$65,560$119,51092.5$100,623
Tucson, AZ$95,890$74,200$119,31096.9$96,877
El Paso, TX$95,420$64,250$127,13089.9$106,115
Wichita, KS$94,990$66,350$121,78018.3$512,787
Miami, FL$93,920$28,640$120,120114.2$76,887
Tulsa, OK$92,260$50,050$121,27089.2$104,838
Raleigh, NC$90,400$74,610$117,52098.2$96,111
Louisville, KY$89,300$48,800$117,34093.1$94,828
Omaha, NE$87,210$67,440$108,62091.9$96,920

“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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