Previously, we examined Physical Therapist Pay in the Top 20 Metro Areas. The largest U.S. metropolitan areas most definitely have more physical therapists employed in them than do smaller metro areas. However, better average compensation levels are frequently found in smaller metro areas. This can be readily seen in May 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which reveals that only three of the 20 largest metro areas in the nation were among the 20 best metro markets for physical therapist pay:
20 Best Metro Markets for Physical Therapist Pay
| Metropolitan Area | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,210 | $123,190 | ||
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (#) | 3,050 | $118,370 | ||
| 3 | Midland, TX | 70 | $116,880 | ||
| 4 | Napa, CA | 90 | $114,540 | ||
| 5 | Carson City, NV | 70 | $114,470 | ||
| 6 | Santa Rosa, CA | 280 | $114,150 | ||
| 7 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 260 | $110,910 | ||
| 8 | Salinas, CA | 170 | $110,860 | ||
| 9 | Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade | 1,470 | $109,810 | ||
| 10 | Yuba City, CA | 70 | $109,650 | ||
| 11 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (#) | 1,750 | $107,390 | ||
| 12 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 720 | $106,220 | ||
| 13 | Eastern New Mexico non-metro | 210 | $106,050 | ||
| 14 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 230 | $105,680 | ||
| 15 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | 280 | $105,630 | ||
| 16 | Central Louisiana non-metro | 170 | $105,290 | ||
| 17 | Alaska non-metro | 150 | $105,190 | ||
| 18 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 1,420 | $104,660 | ||
| 19 | San Diego-Carlsbad (#) | 2,050 | $104,360 | ||
| 20 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | 30 | $103,860 | ||
| National | 225,350 | $92,920 | |||
(#) a top 20 U.S metro population area
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on November 3, 2022