PermanentPosted 6 days ago
Physical Therapist
CommonSpirit Health · Santa Cruz, CA
$62.33–$72.28/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
Physical Therapist jobs in Santa Cruz, CA
Pay for physical therapists in the Santa Cruz area centers on $61.72 per hour, or about $128,370 a year. The lower quarter earns under $47.38 and the upper quarter over $67.58. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Santa Cruz. That ranks 8th of 375 U.S. metro areas for physical therapist pay, and 32nd of 338 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Santa Cruz.
- $61.72median pay per hour, Santa Cruz
- $47–$68typical range per hour
- 140physical therapists employed in the metro area
- 1open roles with published pay
Open Physical Therapist roles in Santa Cruz
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70+ more Physical Therapist roles for you in Santa Cruz, CA
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More open Physical Therapist roles in Santa Cruz
1 more open role from employers in Santa Cruz. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted today
Physical Therapist II, Santa Cruz
Sutter Health · Santa Cruz, CA
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New this week
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Named employers near Santa Cruz, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportPhysical Therapist pay in Santa Cruz, CA
The metro median is 4% above the California statewide median of $59.28 per hour. Nationally the median is $48.57 per hour. BLS counts about 140 physical therapists employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area, 1.5 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.91).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $41.29 | $85,880 | 15% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $47.38 | $98,550 | 2% below U.S. median |
| Median | $61.72 | $128,370 | 27% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $67.58 | $140,570 | 39% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $73.39 | $152,650 | 51% above U.S. median |
How Santa Cruz ranks
- 8th of 375 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 32nd of 338 after adjusting for local prices
- 8th 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 Santa Cruz
- Overall prices in Santa Cruz-Watsonville run 10% above the U.S. average (index 109.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 64% above the U.S. average (index 164.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $61.72 median hour buys what $56.16 buys at the national price level, 16% 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 Santa Cruz paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,222
- Per year: $111,096
- Per month: $9,258
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Santa Cruz
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $148 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,638 |
| 13-week assignment | $21,294 |
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 Santa Cruz
CMS lists 3 hospitals in Santa Cruz, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican Hospital Santa Cruz, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center Of Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
| Santa Cruz County Psychiatric Health Facility Santa Cruz, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville, CA | 15 mi | $61.72/hr | 51,320 |
| Cupertino, CA | 24 mi | $65.98/hr | 58,710 |
| Gilroy, CA | 25 mi | $65.98/hr | 60,390 |
| San Jose, CA | 25 mi | $65.98/hr | 997,368 |
| Santa Clara, CA | 27 mi | $65.98/hr | 133,132 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 28 mi | $65.98/hr | 156,792 |
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 Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do physical therapists make in Santa Cruz, CA?
Physical Therapists in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area have a median pay of $61.72 per hour, about $128,370 a year. The middle half earn between $47.38 and $67.58 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Santa Cruz a good place for physical therapists once cost of living is counted?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville ranks 32nd of 338 metro areas for physical therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 8th of 375 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring physical therapists in Santa Cruz?
We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Santa Cruz. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Santa Cruz.
Do I need a California license to work in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz?
The federal per diem benchmark in Santa Cruz is $148 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,638 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place physical therapists in Santa Cruz?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Santa Cruz and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Santa Cruz.
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What do employers near Santa Cruz 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 reportSanta Cruz, 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.