Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $124,190 | $104,506 | +19% |
| Median hourly wage | $59.71 | $50.24 | +19% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $112,186.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $154,551 | $120,900 | $178,250 | 244 |
| Oakland | $139,594 | $109,200 | $161,000 | 196 |
| Los Angeles | $127,629 | $99,840 | $147,200 | 173 |
| Long Beach | $119,652 | $93,600 | $138,000 | 153 |
| San Diego | $117,658 | $92,040 | $135,700 | 161 |
| Sacramento | $107,687 | $84,240 | $124,200 | 130 |
| Fresno | $94,725 | $74,100 | $109,250 | 105 |
The median annual salary for a Physical Therapist in California is $124,190, or about $59.71 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Physical Therapists is $104,506. California is +19% above the national median.
Entry-level physical therapists in California typically earn from $120,900 depending on the city and employer.
With 26,580 physical therapist jobs on record and a median salary of $124,190, California offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, physical therapists rank 133 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 83% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric at $400,150, Neurologists at $357,080, Psychiatrists at $353,500 — all figures are median annual wages for California.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, physical therapists rank 133 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 83% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 | $820 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 | $1,090 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 | $5,420 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 | $6,370 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 | $1,610 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 | $2,230 |
California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 793 occupations in California.