PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Physical Therapist II (NICU) - 0.8 - Days - Rehabilitation Services @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$62.76–$83.41/ hour
Top 25% pay
Physical Therapist jobs in Palo Alto, CA
Physical Therapists in the Palo Alto area earn a median of $65.98 per hour, about $137,250 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $57.48 and $77.59. That ranks 1st of 375 U.S. metro areas for physical therapist pay, and 8th of 338 once local prices are factored in. 3 open roles with published pay are listed for Palo Alto and its metro area. The free report below lists employers near Palo Alto and what they pay.
- $65.98median pay per hour, San Jose
- $57–$78typical range per hour
- 1,350physical therapists employed in the metro area
- 3open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Physical Therapist roles near Palo Alto
Roles in other cities of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area.
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Vestibular Physical Therapist - 0.8 - Days - Physical Performance-OP @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$62.76–$83.41/ hour
Top 25% pay
For youUpdated weekly
95+ more Physical Therapist roles for you in Palo Alto, CA
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PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Physical Therapist II - PD - Days - Inpatient Rehabilitation Services @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$62.76–$83.41/ hour
Top 25% pay
More open Physical Therapist roles in Palo Alto
1 more open role from employers in Palo Alto. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted 13 days ago
Physical Therapist - Up to $20,000 Sign On
Select Medical · Palo Alto, CA
Pay range with your report
Get the Palo Alto Physical Therapist pay report
Named employers near Palo Alto, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportPhysical Therapist pay in Palo Alto, CA
The metro median is 11% above the California statewide median of $59.28 per hour. Nationally the median is $48.57 per hour. BLS counts about 1,350 physical therapists employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, 1.2 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.74).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $50.60 | $105,250 | 4% above U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $57.48 | $119,560 | 18% above U.S. median |
| Median | $65.98 | $137,250 | 36% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $77.59 | $161,390 | 60% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $84.33 | $175,410 | 74% above U.S. median |
How Palo Alto ranks
- 1st of 375 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 8th of 338 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st of 23 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Physical Therapists (SOC 29-1123), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in Palo Alto
- Overall prices in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara run 10% above the U.S. average (index 110.4, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 112% above the U.S. average (index 211.9).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $65.98 median hour buys what $59.75 buys at the national price level, 23% above the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Palo Alto paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,375
- Per year: $118,764
- Per month: $9,897
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Palo Alto
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $192 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $92 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,988 |
| 13-week assignment | $25,844 |
Travel physical therapist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Hospitals in Palo Alto
CMS lists 2 hospitals in Palo Alto, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physical therapists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Va Medical Center Palo Alto, CA | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp At Stanford Palo Alto, CA | Children's | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Physical Therapist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View, CA | 4 mi | $65.98/hr | 87,316 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 6 mi | $65.98/hr | 156,792 |
| Redwood City, CA | 9 mi | $65.48/hr | 82,982 |
| Fremont, CA | 13 mi | $65.48/hr | 228,192 |
| San Mateo, CA | 15 mi | $65.48/hr | 103,006 |
| Union City, CA | 16 mi | $65.48/hr | 66,196 |
Physical Therapist jobs in California · Physical Therapist jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in California
DPT degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Palo Alto
Palo Alto city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do physical therapists make in Palo Alto, CA?
Physical Therapists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area have a median pay of $65.98 per hour, about $137,250 a year. The middle half earn between $57.48 and $77.59 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Palo Alto a good place for physical therapists once cost of living is counted?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks 8th of 338 metro areas for physical therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 1st of 375 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring physical therapists in Palo Alto?
We list 3 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Palo Alto.
Do I need a California license to work in Palo Alto as a physical therapist?
DPT degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Palo Alto?
The federal per diem benchmark in Palo Alto is $192 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,988 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place physical therapists in Palo Alto?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Palo Alto and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Palo Alto.
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What do employers near Palo Alto pay physical therapists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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300+ Physical Therapist roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your PT pay reportPalo Alto, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- El Camino HealthMountain View, CA · 3 postings$73.08/ hr$63–$83
- Montage HealthMonterey, CA · 6 postings$67.73/ hr$54–$83
- CommonSpirit HealthCAMARILLO, CA · 13 postings$64.91/ hr$48–$86
- MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 2 postings$64.50/ hr$54–$81
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$48Median$62.50High$72
104 PT postings with published pay in California, 84 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 104 PT roles
- Physical Therapist Home HealthPer diem$49.78–$74.05/ hour
- Physical Therapist I Inpatient -SRN Per Diem- SD County FLOATPer diem$52.36–$67.57/ hour
+ 102 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.