Physical Therapist Hourly Pay, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 29,758 US job postings by 3,343 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for physical therapists: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 29,758 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for physical therapists in US job postings is $54.00 an hour (7,925 postings from 837 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $47.41 to $62.80 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $52.88 an hour (999 postings).
- The skills that most set physical therapist postings apart are manual therapy, individualized treatment plans, therapeutic exercises.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 1 year of experience.
Physical Therapist job postings in the US, October 2026
- $54.00/hr
- Median advertised pay (7,925 postings)
- $47.41–$62.80
- Middle 50% of postings
- $52.88/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 29,758
- US job postings from 3,343 employers
How much does a physical therapist make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $54.00 an hour, from 7,925 US job postings by 837 employers that state pay. That is about $104,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 7,925 US physical therapist job postings: median $104,000 a year ($54.00 an hour), middle half $92,000 to $120,000.
- Median: $104,000 ($54.00/hr)
- 25th percentile: $92,000
- 75th percentile: $120,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.0% |
| $20K–$30K | 0.1% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.1% |
| $40K–$50K | 0.2% |
| $50K–$60K | 0.3% |
| $60K–$70K | 0.9% |
| $70K–$80K | 3.9% |
| $80K–$90K | 15.7% |
| $90K–$100K | 21.3% |
| $100K–$110K | 17.7% |
| $110K–$120K | 14.5% |
| $120K–$130K | 6.8% |
| $130K–$140K | 5.9% |
| $140K–$150K | 3.4% |
| $150K–$160K | 2.5% |
| $160K–$170K | 2.2% |
| $170K–$180K | 0.7% |
| $180K–$190K | 0.8% |
| $190K–$200K | 0.3% |
| $200K–$210K | 0.7% |
| $210K–$220K | 0.2% |
| $220K–$230K | 0.3% |
| $230K–$240K | 0.3% |
| $240K–$250K | 0.1% |
| $260K–$270K | 0.1% |
| $280K–$290K | 0.1% |
| $290K–$300K | 0.0% |
| $300K–$310K | 0.0% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $54.00 | $47.41–$62.80 | 2,111 | Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist (PT), Physical Therapist PRN |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $95,000 | $86K–$106K | 1,468 | Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist (PT), Home Health Physical Therapist |
| All pay postings, annualised | $104,000 | $92K–$120K | 7,925 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Physical Therapists (29-1123) at $103,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a physical therapist?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $52.88 an hour (999 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $52.88/hr | 999 |
| 2-4 years | $51.68/hr | 465 |
| 5+ years | $48.50/hr | 1,228 |
Highest-paying physical therapist jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health Physical Therapist | $56.00/hr | 448 | 98 |
| Physical Therapist (general) | $50.00/hr | 6,056 | 709 |
| Physiotherapist | $45.67/hr | 1,164 | 169 |
Physical therapist pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $59.40/hr | $52.50–$65.00 | 485 | 8.8% |
| Washington | $52.09/hr | $47.12–$60.00 | 263 | 2.3% |
| New York | $50.00/hr | $45.67–$62.32 | 499 | 4.6% |
| South Carolina | $50.00/hr | $42.07–$57.57 | 153 | 1.9% |
| Colorado | $49.06/hr | $43.13–$54.89 | 187 | 2.1% |
| Massachusetts | $49.00/hr | $45.67–$55.89 | 277 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | $48.08/hr | $45.67–$57.25 | 356 | 3.6% |
| Florida | $47.95/hr | $42.79–$52.79 | 331 | 5.9% |
| Virginia | $47.60/hr | $45.01–$54.00 | 166 | 2.8% |
| Pennsylvania | $47.50/hr | $41.59–$55.00 | 283 | 4.5% |
| Arizona | $46.88/hr | $44.23–$56.00 | 186 | 2.8% |
| Illinois | $46.00/hr | $42.07–$50.47 | 328 | 3.5% |
| Maryland | $46.00/hr | $43.27–$52.50 | 319 | 2.6% |
| North Carolina | $45.67/hr | $42.79–$50.97 | 196 | 3.2% |
| Michigan | $45.00/hr | $39.90–$53.50 | 110 | 1.9% |
| Ohio | $44.47/hr | $39.66–$50.00 | 147 | 2.9% |
| Indiana | $44.47/hr | $43.03–$50.00 | 118 | 2.3% |
| Georgia | $43.27/hr | $40.87–$60.00 | 312 | 4.5% |
| Texas | $43.03/hr | $41.17–$51.38 | 335 | 8.7% |
| Tennessee | $41.35/hr | $39.66–$45.50 | 126 | 2.4% |
Skills employers ask for in physical therapist job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 31% |
| Interpersonal skills | 17% |
| Compassionate | 10% |
| Organizational skills | 9% |
| Work independently | 7% |
| Problem-solving | 6% |
| Time management | 5% |
| Teamwork | 4% |
| Manual therapy | 4% |
| Individualized treatment plans | 4% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set physical therapists apart
- Compassionate3.6× as often as in all postings · 10%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a physical therapist job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a physical therapist do?
Employers post these jobs as Physical Therapist (PT), Home Health Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist PRN, Pediatric Physical Therapist, PRN Physical Therapist and other titles. The largest specializations are Physiotherapist (14%), Home Health Physical Therapist (8%), Pediatric Physical Therapist (2%), Travel Physical Therapist (1%).
The closest official occupation is Physical Therapists (29-1123.00). Its most important tasks:
- Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients.
- Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention.
- Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer.
- Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home.
- Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a physical therapist?
Among 3,191 postings that state a minimum, the median is 1 year. 3% say 0 years and 60% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 3,191 US physical therapist job postings: median 1 year, and 60% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 5% |
| 1 yr | 56% |
| 2 yrs | 29% |
| 3-4 yrs | 6% |
| 5-7 yrs | 3% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 81%, Part-time 19% of the 3,049 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a physical therapist: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapist | 2,398 (71.7%) |
| Physical Therapist (PT) | 367 (11.0%) |
| Home Health Physical Therapist | 121 (3.6%) |
| Physical Therapist PRN | 114 (3.4%) |
| Pediatric Physical Therapist | 114 (3.4%) |
| PRN Physical Therapist | 108 (3.2%) |
| Physical Therapist PT | 98 (2.9%) |
| Outpatient Physical Therapist | 90 (2.7%) |
| Part-time Physical Therapist | 43 (1.3%) |
| Pelvic Health Physical Therapist | 42 (1.3%) |
| Licensed Physical Therapist | 41 (1.2%) |
| Physical Therapist (PRN) | 36 (1.1%) |
| Physical Therapist I | 36 (1.1%) |
| Full Time Physical Therapist | 35 (1.1%) |
| Physical Therapist Home Health | 33 (1.0%) |
| Physical Therapists | 32 (1.0%) |
| PT | 30 (0.9%) |
| Physical Therapist (PT) PRN | 30 (0.9%) |
| Physical Therapist, PRN | 29 (0.9%) |
| Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist | 28 (0.8%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Physical therapist job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Physical Therapist | 291 | 114 | – | – | communication, interpersonal skills, organizational skills |
| PRN Physical Therapist | 350 | 108 | – | – | communication, time management, teamwork |
| Physical Therapist PRN | 296 | 114 | – | – | – |
Physical Therapist compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist | $54.00/hr | 1 year | 29,758 | – |
| Occupational Therapist | $52.00/hr | 1 year | 11,924 | 18 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $52.50/hr | 1 year | 13,892 | 17 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $34.52/hr | 1 year | 12,964 | 18 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $35.00/hr | 1 year | 6,754 | 16 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapist | 18 | $52.00/hr |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | 17 | $52.50/hr |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | 18 | $34.52/hr |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 16 | $35.00/hr |
| Nurse Practitioner | 15 | $142K |
| Physician | 15 | $312K |
Applying for physical therapist jobs?
- Physical therapist resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find physical therapist jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a physical therapist make an hour?
What is the starting salary for a physical therapist?
What are the highest-paying physical therapist jobs?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 20 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.