Physical Therapist Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$124,190
$59.71/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$112,166
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($102,760): +$21,430 (+20.9%)
California ranks 1st of 51 states by median pay, and 6th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $85,580 | $41.15 |
| 25th percentile | $100,790 | $48.46 |
| Median | $124,190 | $59.71 |
| 75th percentile | $141,260 | $67.91 |
| 90th percentile | $163,960 | $78.83 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 26,580
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $124,190
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $102,760
- Difference
- +$21,430 (+20.9%)
Cost of living
$124,190 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $112,166
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| California This page | ||
| 1st | $124,190 | $112,166 6th |
| Alaska | ||
| 2nd | $115,280 | $112,623 4th |
| New Jersey | ||
| 3rd | $112,140 | $103,065 31st |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Physicians, All Other salary in California
$281,590/year California
- Occupational Therapist salary in California
$124,510/year California
- Physical Therapist Aide salary in California
$38,330/year California
- Occupational Therapy Assistant salary in California
$81,770/year California
- Occupational Therapy Aide salary in the U.S.
$39,160/year U.S.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Except Pediatric salary in California
$253,430/year California
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +11.9%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Doctoral or professional degree
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Physical Therapist salary in nearby places
- Physical Therapist salary in Arizona
$103,220/year Arizona
- Physical Therapist salary in Nevada
$111,250/year Nevada
- Physical Therapist salary in Oregon
$103,510/year Oregon
- Physical Therapist salary in the U.S.
$102,760/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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