Physical Therapist Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

Data released earlier this year by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that, as of May 2020, there were almost 221,000 physical therapists (PTs) working in the United States.  More than 51,000 physical therapists were employed in the twelve-state Southeastern U.S. as of May 2020.  The Southeast region is a mostly subpar one for PT pay, where practitioners earn less than the national average annual mean wage for physical therapists.  Although three states in the region (Alabama, Mississippi and Virginia) rank among the top 15 states for PT annual mean wages, 75% of the region's physical therapists live in a state where PT annual mean wage levels are below the national average.  A deeper examination of BLS data from May 2020 reveals the following about physical therapist pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Physical Therapist Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AL	2,440	$93,310	11th
AR	1,950	$84,410	46th
FL	13,630	$85,410	40th
GA	5,610	$88,950	27th
KY	2,730	$86,040	37th
LA	2,660	$91,880	16th
MS	1,490	$91,960	14th
NC	6,070	$86,890	33rd
SC	2,940	$84,640	44th
TN	4,490	$86,090	36th
VA	6,210	$94,370	10th
WV	1,230	$90,840	22nd
U.S.	220,870	$91,680	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 2, 2021