Best paying cities for physical therapists, after cost of living
After cost of living, physical therapist pay goes furthest in San Jose (worth $125,906) and least far in Miami (worth $88,327).
| # | Metro area | Median pay | Prices (US = 100) | Worth | vs. US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $139,000 | 110.4 | $125,906 | +23% |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $131,430 | 106.7 | $123,177 | +20% |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $141,980 | 115.6 | $122,820 | +20% |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $116,480 | 100.2 | $116,248 | +13% |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | $106,010 | 94.7 | $111,943 | +9% |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $107,700 | 98.6 | $109,229 | +6% |
| 7 | Nashville, TN | $103,380 | 96.3 | $107,352 | +4% |
| 8 | St. Louis, MO | $100,600 | 95.1 | $105,783 | +3% |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $103,630 | 98.1 | $105,637 | +3% |
| 10 | Dallas, TX | $107,780 | 103.1 | $104,539 | +2% |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $101,060 | 97.3 | $103,864 | +1% |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $103,440 | 100.1 | $103,337 | +1% |
| 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | $97,750 | 94.7 | $103,221 | 0% |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $105,790 | 102.6 | $103,109 | 0% |
| 15 | Detroit, MI | $102,970 | 100.3 | $102,662 | 0% |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $105,720 | 103.6 | $102,046 | −1% |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | $113,850 | 111.9 | $101,743 | −1% |
| 18 | Tampa, FL | $102,430 | 100.9 | $101,516 | −1% |
| 19 | Baltimore, MD | $105,810 | 104.5 | $101,254 | −1% |
| 20 | Portland, OR | $106,250 | 105.4 | $100,806 | −2% |
| 21 | Orlando, FL | $101,530 | 101.4 | $100,128 | −3% |
| 22 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,220 | 103.3 | $99,923 | −3% |
| 23 | Minneapolis, MN | $102,450 | 104.8 | $97,758 | −5% |
| 24 | Denver, CO | $102,340 | 105.8 | $96,730 | −6% |
| 25 | Seattle, WA | $107,290 | 111.1 | $96,571 | −6% |
| 26 | Boston, MA | $103,550 | 108.3 | $95,614 | −7% |
| 27 | New York, NY | $107,650 | 112.6 | $95,604 | −7% |
| 28 | Los Angeles, CA | $108,170 | 113.6 | $95,220 | −7% |
| 29 | Washington, DC | $102,980 | 108.9 | $94,564 | −8% |
| 30 | Miami, FL | $100,870 | 114.2 | $88,327 | −14% |
U.S. median for physical therapists: $102,760. "Worth" is the median adjusted for local prices: what that pay buys at average U.S. prices, using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 (Physical Therapists, SOC 29-1123); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024. Median pay for wage and salary workers, excluding bonuses, benefits and overtime. Metro areas, not city limits.