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Physical Therapist

$102,760
median pay per year
$77,140 – $135,140
what most earn (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Guide patients through exercises and treatments to recover movement and manage pain after injury or illness.

Where you work

Clinics, hospitals, and homes; active, hands-on, on your feet.

The hours

Usually full-time; some evenings and weekends.

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$102,760
per year
What most earn
$77,140–$135,140
10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~13,200
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+11%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
267,330
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Doctoral / professional degree

Training path: DPT (~7 years total).

License or certification

Requires a doctoral degree, a national exam, and a state license.

What it takes

CompassionPhysical staminaCommunicationAttention to detail

The honest take

A doctorate — but one of the happiest-ranked jobs in healthcare.

Standard Occupational Classification 29-1123. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.