CA · San Marcos · Updated October 15, 2026

Physical Therapist jobs in San Marcos, CA

Physical Therapists in the San Marcos area earn a median of $50.92 per hour, about $105,920 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $41.93 and $63.24. That ranks 48th of 375 U.S. metro areas for physical therapist pay, and 299th of 338 once local prices are factored in. 11 open roles with published pay are listed for San Marcos and its metro area. Tell us your role and we email current openings near San Marcos.

Open Physical Therapist roles near San Marcos

Roles in other cities of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area.

PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Physical Therapist

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$47.58–$71.46/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req JR100612
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 3 days ago

Physical Therapist

Select Medical · San Diego, CA

$82k–$100k/ year
  • OTHER
  • Req 386785
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 3 days ago

Physical Therapist

Select Medical · La Mesa, CA

$80k–$95k/ year
  • OTHER
  • Req 386878
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 23 days ago

Physical Therapist / PT

BrightSpring Health Services · San Diego, CA

$60.00–$65.00/ hour
  • TEMPORARY
  • Req 196756
View role
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago

Physical Therapist

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · National City, CA

$52.00–$52.00/ hour
  • CONTRACTOR
  • Req 278871
View role

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Named employers near San Marcos, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring physical therapists near San Marcos

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Select Medical4$43.75
Rady Children's Hospital2$54.33
Sharp HealthCare1$59.96
Sharp Healthcare1$59.96
Palomar Health1$59.52
BrightSpring Health Services1$62.50
Central Maine Healthcare Corporation1$52

Physical Therapist pay in San Marcos, CA

The metro median is 14% below the California statewide median of $59.28 per hour. Nationally the median is $48.57 per hour. BLS counts about 2,730 physical therapists employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 1.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.10).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$30.42$63,27037% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$41.93$87,21014% below U.S. median
Median$50.92$105,9205% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$63.24$131,54030% above U.S. median
Top 10%$73.70$153,30052% above U.S. median

How San Marcos ranks

  • 48th of 375 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 299th of 338 after adjusting for local prices
  • 21st 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 San Marcos

  • Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $50.92 median hour buys what $45.51 buys at the national price level, 6% below 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 San Marcos paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,833
  • Per year: $91,656
  • Per month: $7,638

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in San Marcos

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$205
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,037
13-week assignment$26,481

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 San Marcos

CMS lists 1 hospital in San Marcos, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physical therapists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos
San Marcos, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Physical Therapist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Escondido, CA6 mi$50.92/hr148,847
Vista, CA6 mi$50.92/hr99,322
Temecula, CA25 mi$57.79/hr112,431
Murrieta, CA30 mi$57.79/hr112,539

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.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in San Marcos

San Marcos city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do physical therapists make in San Marcos, CA?

Physical Therapists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $50.92 per hour, about $105,920 a year. The middle half earn between $41.93 and $63.24 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is San Marcos a good place for physical therapists once cost of living is counted?

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 299th of 338 metro areas for physical therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 48th of 375 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring physical therapists in San Marcos?

We list 11 open roles with published pay from 7 employers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Marcos.

Do I need a California license to work in San Marcos 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 San Marcos?

The federal per diem benchmark in San Marcos is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place physical therapists in San Marcos?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Marcos and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Marcos.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near San Marcos 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.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · PT near San Marcos, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your PT pay reportSan Marcos, 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

  1. Physical Therapist Home HealthPer diem
    $49.78–$74.05/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Rancho Cordova, CA · posted today
  2. Physical Therapist I Inpatient -SRN Per Diem- SD County FLOATPer diem
    $52.36–$67.57/ hour
    Sharp HealthCare · San Diego, CA · posted today

+ 102 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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