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Physical therapist salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$124,190median pay per year in California, or $59.71 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $85,580lowest 10% earn less
  2. $100,79025th percentile
  3. $124,190median
  4. $141,26075th percentile
  5. $163,960top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $102,760[3]

The median physical therapist in California earned $124,190 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the highest median among the 50 states and DC[5].

Jobs in CA
26,580[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+20.9%[6]

How much do physical therapists make in California?

The median wage for physical therapists in California was $124,190 a year, or $59.71 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was a little lower at $122,580 a year[7]. About 26,580 people held these wage and salary jobs in the state[4].

Across the US, the median for physical therapists was $102,760 a year[3]. California was $21,430 (20.9%) higher[6]. Compared with all jobs in California, where the median was $58,240[8], physical therapists were $65,950 higher[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of physical therapists in California earned less than $85,580 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $163,960[2]. Among metro areas, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median at $141,980[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $139,000, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had a median of $108,170[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for physical therapists in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$124,190[1]$102,760[3]
Median per hour$59.71[1]$49.40[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$85,580[2]$77,140[13]
Top 10% earn more than$163,960[2]$135,140[13]
Jobs26,580[4]267,330[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for physical therapists, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$108,1709,750
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$141,9803,140
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$113,8502,680
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$120,1102,240
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$131,4301,610
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$139,0001,460
Fresno, CA$123,820620
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$116,770550

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for physical therapists in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Nevada[14]$111,2502,030
Oregon$103,5103,210
Arizona$103,2205,170

Median pay for physical therapists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for physical therapists are projected to grow 11.9% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: doctoral or professional degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a physical therapist make in California?
The median physical therapist in California earned $124,190 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $122,580 a year[7].
How much does a physical therapist make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $59.71[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41.15 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $78.83[2][17].
Which city in California pays physical therapists the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median annual wage among California metro areas with a published figure, at $141,980[10].
Is California a good state for physical therapists?
California had the 1st highest median annual wage for physical therapists among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $21,430 (20.9%) higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a physical therapist in California?
Across the US, the typical education for entry is a doctoral or professional degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training needed[16]. This is a national figure, not one for California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Physical Therapists in California was $124,190 per year and $59.71 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Physical Therapists in California: 10th percentile $85,580, 25th percentile $100,790, 75th percentile $141,260, 90th percentile $163,960. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Physical Therapists in the US as a whole was $102,760 per year and $49.40 per hour, with about 267,330 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 26,580 people worked as Physical Therapists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Physical Therapists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Physical Therapists in California ($124,190) was $21,430 (20.9%) higher than the US median ($102,760). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Physical Therapists in California was $122,580 per year and $58.93 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Physical Therapists in California was $65,950 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Physical Therapists, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $141,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Physical Therapists in the US: 10th percentile $77,140, 25th percentile $86,160, 75th percentile $121,160, 90th percentile $135,140. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Physical Therapists in states that border California (highest first): Nevada $111,250; Oregon $103,510; Arizona $103,220. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Physical Therapists is projected to grow 11.9% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 13,400 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Physical Therapists: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Physical Therapists in California: 10th percentile $41.15, 25th percentile $48.46, 75th percentile $67.91, 90th percentile $78.83. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.