MO · Kansas City · Updated October 15, 2026

Physical Therapist jobs in Kansas City, MO

Pay for physical therapists in the Kansas City area centers on $47.75 per hour, or about $99,330 a year. The lower quarter earns under $38.57 and the upper quarter over $53.05. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in Kansas City. That ranks 194th of 375 U.S. metro areas for physical therapist pay, and 133rd of 338 once local prices are factored in. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Kansas City.

Open Physical Therapist roles in Kansas City

PermanentPosted 15 days ago

Physical Therapist

Select Medical · Kansas City, MO

$70k–$90k/ year
  • OTHER
  • Req 385517
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More open Physical Therapist roles in Kansas City

1 more open role from employers in Kansas City. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted yesterday

Physical Therapist

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Kansas City, MO

Pay range with your report
  • CONTRACTOR
  • Req 285804
New this week
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Named employers near Kansas City, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Physical Therapist pay in Kansas City, MO

The metro median is 6% above the Missouri statewide median of $45.07 per hour. Nationally the median is $48.57 per hour. BLS counts about 1,890 physical therapists employed in the Kansas City metro area, 1.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.07).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$33.87$70,45030% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$38.57$80,23021% below U.S. median
Median$47.75$99,3302% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$53.05$110,3409% above U.S. median
Top 10%$59.40$123,55022% above U.S. median

How Kansas City ranks

  • 194th of 375 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 133rd of 338 after adjusting for local prices
  • 3rd of 8 Missouri 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 Kansas City

  • Overall prices in Kansas City run 7% below the U.S. average (index 92.5, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 13% below the U.S. average (index 86.6).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $47.75 median hour buys what $51.60 buys at the national price level, 6% 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 Kansas City paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,719
  • Per year: $85,950
  • Per month: $7,162

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Kansas City metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Kansas City

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$135
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,505
13-week assignment$19,565

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 Kansas City

CMS lists 9 hospitals in Kansas City, 4 of the 7 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physical therapists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Saint Lukes North Hospital
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
St Lukes Hospital Of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Kansas City Va Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
University Health Lakewood Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
St Joseph Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute careFor-profit3 of 5Yes
Truman Medical Center Hospital Hill
Kansas City, MO
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Research Medical Center
Kansas City, MO
Acute careFor-profit2 of 5Yes
The Children's Mercy Hospital
Kansas City, MO
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Center For Behavioral Medicine
Kansas City, MO
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

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
Kansas City, KS10 mi$47.75/hr156,752
Independence, MO11 mi$47.75/hr121,629
Lawrence, KS40 mi$48.82/hr97,271
St. Joseph, MO46 mi$48.76/hr71,098
Topeka, KS62 mi$47.89/hr125,467
Manhattan, KS110 mi$46.45/hr54,700

Physical Therapist jobs in Missouri · Physical Therapist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Missouri

DPT degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Missouri requires for your role with the Missouri licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Missouri taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Missouri state guide

Other healthcare roles in Kansas City

Kansas City city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do physical therapists make in Kansas City, MO?

Physical Therapists in the Kansas City metro area have a median pay of $47.75 per hour, about $99,330 a year. The middle half earn between $38.57 and $53.05 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Kansas City a good place for physical therapists once cost of living is counted?

Kansas City ranks 133rd of 338 metro areas for physical therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 194th of 375 before adjusting. Overall prices run 7% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring physical therapists in Kansas City?

We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Kansas City. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Kansas City.

Do I need a Missouri license to work in Kansas City as a physical therapist?

DPT degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Missouri requires for your role with the Missouri 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 Kansas City?

The federal per diem benchmark in Kansas City is $135 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,505 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place physical therapists in Kansas City?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Kansas City and across Missouri. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Kansas City.

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What do employers near Kansas City 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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Pay report · PT near Kansas City, MO
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your PT pay reportKansas City, MO · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Select MedicalKansas City, MO · 4 postings$38.46/ hr$33–$43
  • Functional Pathways of TN, LLCSunset Hills, MO · 1 wage offer$52.00/ hr$52–$52
  • Washington UniversitySt Louis, MO · 1 wage offer$36.73/ hr$37–$37
  • Grandison Management, Inc.St. Louis, MO · 1 wage offer$36.41/ hr$36–$36

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$33Median$38.46High$48

5 PT postings with published pay in Missouri, 4 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 5 PT roles

  1. Physical TherapistPermanent
    $70k–$90k/ year
    Select Medical · Kansas City, MO · posted 15 days ago
  2. Physical TherapistPermanent
    $70k–$90k/ year
    Select Medical · Saint Joseph, MO · posted 24 days ago

+ 3 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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