Physical Therapist salary in California
Physical Therapists in California earn a median of $59.28 per hour, about $123,300 a year, 22% above the U.S. median of $48.57. The middle half earn between $47.64 and $65.98 per hour. The highest median among California metro areas is in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, at $65.98 per hour. Source: BLS, May 2024.
- $59.28median pay per hour
- $123,300median pay per year
- 24,380physical therapists employed in California
- #1of 50 states by median pay
Physical Therapist pay in California: percentiles
| Level | California per hour | California per year | U.S. per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $39.38 | $81,910 | $35.78 |
| Lower quartile | $47.64 | $99,090 | $40.13 |
| Median | $59.28 | $123,300 | $48.57 |
| Upper quartile | $65.98 | $137,240 | $56.34 |
| Top 10% | $77.51 | $161,220 | $63.70 |
Physical Therapist pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed | vs California median | After cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $65.98 | $137,250 | 1,350 | 11% above | $59.75 |
| Vallejo, CA | $65.59 | $136,440 | 270 | 11% above | $60.46 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $65.48 | $136,200 | 3,170 | 10% above | $56.64 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $64.81 | $134,810 | 280 | 9% above | $60.13 |
| Chico, CA | $63.16 | $131,370 | 160 | 7% above | $62.41 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $62.58 | $130,160 | 1,620 | 6% above | $58.67 |
| Napa, CA | $61.90 | $128,760 | 60 | 4% above | $55.00 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $61.72 | $128,370 | 140 | 4% above | $56.16 |
| Merced, CA | $59.75 | $124,270 | 50 | 1% above | $60.80 |
| Modesto, CA | $59.68 | $124,130 | 360 | 1% above | $57.33 |
| Salinas, CA | $59.59 | $123,960 | 190 | 1% above | $54.65 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $58.94 | $122,590 | 340 | 1% below | $58.42 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $58.33 | $121,330 | 290 | 2% below | $53.61 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $58.22 | $121,100 | 320 | 2% below | $55.40 |
| Fresno, CA | $57.90 | $120,430 | 600 | 2% below | $56.68 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $57.79 | $120,190 | 2,130 | 3% below | $54.29 |
| El Centro, CA | $57.70 | $120,020 | 50 | 3% below | — |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $56.43 | $117,380 | 540 | 5% below | $51.05 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $56.25 | $117,000 | 8,150 | 5% below | $49.53 |
| Yuba City, CA | $54.45 | $113,250 | 80 | 8% below | $52.24 |
| Redding, CA | $54.40 | $113,150 | 130 | 8% below | $54.03 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $50.92 | $105,920 | 2,730 | 14% below | $45.51 |
| Visalia, CA | $48.88 | $101,670 | 220 | 18% below | $48.97 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $47.93 | $99,700 | 190 | 19% below | $44.14 |
Metro areas with 30 or more workers in the BLS sample. After cost of living divides the median by the BEA regional price index (U.S. = 100).
Physical Therapist pay in states next to California
What employers are posting in California
- 104roles with published pay
- $62.50median pay per hour
- $48–$72typical published range
- 22employers hiring
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| BrightSpring Health Services | 26 | $62.50 |
| Select Medical | 22 | $47.48 |
| CommonSpirit Health | 13 | $64.91 |
| Kaweah Delta Health Care District | 10 | $62.80 |
| Montage Health | 6 | $67.73 |
| LifePoint Health | 4 | $52.10 |
| Central Maine Healthcare Corporation | 3 | $56.10 |
| El Camino Health | 3 | $73.08 |
Midpoints of pay ranges in 104 postings collected October 15, 2026. Posted pay is a different measure from the BLS survey above and can run higher or lower.
Physical Therapist jobs in California · Physical Therapist salary nationwide · California state guide
Common questions
How much does a physical therapist make in California?
The median is $59.28 per hour, about $123,300 a year. The lowest 10% earn under $39.38 and the top 10% earn over $77.51 (BLS, May 2024).
Which California city pays physical therapists the most?
Among California metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median at $65.98 per hour. See the metro table for the rest and for pay after cost of living.
Where does California rank for physical therapist pay?
California ranks 1st of 50 states by median physical therapist pay.
Is this the same as the pay in job postings?
No. BLS figures come from a survey of employers and cover all workers in the occupation. Posted pay is the range an employer lists on one open role. Both are useful: use the survey for the market and the posting for a specific job.
What do employers near you pay physical therapists? Get the report.
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- 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.
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Your PT pay reportCalifornia · 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
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.