Physical Therapist Salary In California
The average physical therapist salary in California is $109,890 per year. Physical therapists are required to have a license, and it can be obtained through the state of California Board of Physical Therapy. The first step to becoming a physical therapist is to earn an undergraduate degree and gain hands-on experience working with patients. Once you have met these two requirements, you can take your exam and apply for your license.
California is one of the top states for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. The average pay for the profession compares favorably with other states, and the cost of living is relatively low.
California’s average salary for physical therapists is $104,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The average salary for physical therapist assistants is $43,640 per year.
The median earnings for physical therapists in California are $107,350 per year; the median wages earned by physical therapist assistants are $44,400 per year.
Physical Therapist Salary In California
How much does a Physical Therapist make in California?
As of Aug 14, 2022, the average annual pay for a Physical Therapist in California is $88,199 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $42.40 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,696/week or $7,349/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $143,988 and as low as $45,679, the majority of Physical Therapist salaries currently range between $74,973 (25th percentile) to $99,302 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $122,638 annually in California.
The average pay range for a Physical Therapist varies greatly (as much as $24,329), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Physical Therapist job market in California is not very active as few companies are currently hiring.
California ranks number 12 out of 50 states nationwide for Physical Therapist salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Physical Therapist jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Physical Therapist on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Physical Therapist Jobs in California
We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Physical Therapist job is above the average in California. Topping the list is San Mateo, with Los Gatos and Stanford close behind in second and third. Stanford beats the California average by 24.0%, and San Mateo furthers that trend with another $21,559 (24.4%) above the $88,199.
With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Physical Therapist appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between San Mateo and Merced, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Physical Therapist role.
| City | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo | $109,758 | $9,146 | $2,110 | $52.77 |
| Los Gatos | $109,647 | $9,137 | $2,108 | $52.72 |
| Stanford | $109,382 | $9,115 | $2,103 | $52.59 |
| Milpitas | $108,276 | $9,023 | $2,082 | $52.06 |
| Berkeley | $107,887 | $8,990 | $2,074 | $51.87 |
| Daly City | $107,807 | $8,983 | $2,073 | $51.83 |
| Deer Park | $107,146 | $8,928 | $2,060 | $51.51 |
| Irvine | $104,915 | $8,742 | $2,017 | $50.44 |
| Johnstonville | $104,161 | $8,680 | $2,003 | $50.08 |
| Merced | $101,688 | $8,474 | $1,955 | $48.89 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Physical Therapist Jobs in California
We found at least 5 jobs related to the Physical Therapist job category that pay more per year than a typical Physical Therapist salary in California. Top examples of these roles include: Physical Therapist Contract, HOME CARE Physical Therapist, and Homecare Physical Therapist.
Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $22,940 (26.0%) and $47,658 (54.0%) more than the average Physical Therapist salary of $88,199. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related Physical Therapist jobs may help you make more money than that of the average Physical Therapist position.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist Contract | $135,857 | $11,321 | $2,612 | $65.32 |
| HOME CARE Physical Therapist | $122,641 | $10,220 | $2,358 | $58.96 |
| Homecare Physical Therapist | $116,088 | $9,674 | $2,232 | $55.81 |
| PRN Physical Therapist | $112,201 | $9,350 | $2,157 | $53.94 |
| HOME Health Physical Therapist | $111,139 | $9,261 | $2,137 | $53.43 |
