Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Auburn-Opelika, AL is $86,120/year ($41.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.93), which stretches that salary to about $97,942 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $995/month, or 18.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $86K get you in Auburn-Opelika?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Auburn-Opelika’s Regional Price Parity (87.93). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About physical therapists
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What this looks like in Auburn-Opelika
Pay for physical therapists in Auburn-Opelika runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $103K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $995/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.93 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Auburn-Opelika can be a reasonable trade-off for physical therapistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapists in metros near Auburn-Opelika, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $98K | $107K |
| Huntsville | $100K | $107K |
| Mobile | $94K | $107K |
| Montgomery | $96K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Auburn-Opelika, AL
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physical Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124K | +21% | 26,580 |
| Alaska | $115K | +12% | 680 |
| New Jersey | $112K | +9% | 9,750 |
| Nevada | $111K | +8% | 2,030 |
| Maryland | $107K | +4% | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $107K | +4% | 1,330 |
| Washington | $106K | +3% | 5,370 |
| Texas | $106K | +3% | 21,870 |
| Illinois | $105K | +2% | 9,800 |
| Connecticut | $104K | +2% | 4,060 |
| Massachusetts | $104K | +1% | 6,850 |
| Oregon | $104K | +1% | 3,210 |
| Arizona | $103K | +0% | 5,170 |
| Ohio | $103K | +0% | 10,280 |
| Georgia | $103K | -0% | 6,780 |
| Delaware | $102K | -1% | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $102K | -1% | 5,630 |
| Minnesota | $102K | -1% | 5,180 |
| Wisconsin | $102K | -1% | 5,580 |
| Hawaii | $102K | -1% | 950 |
| District of Columbia | $102K | -1% | 610 |
| Indiana | $102K | -1% | 6,130 |
| Virginia | $101K | -1% | 7,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $101K | -1% | 11,710 |
| South Carolina | $101K | -1% | 3,930 |
| Florida | $101K | -2% | 16,290 |
| Michigan | $101K | -2% | 8,630 |
| Kentucky | $101K | -2% | 3,390 |
| New York | $101K | -2% | 20,940 |
| Wyoming | $100K | -2% | 560 |
| Tennessee | $100K | -3% | 4,800 |
| Mississippi | $100K | -3% | 1,980 |
| North Carolina | $100K | -3% | 7,350 |
| Utah | $100K | -3% | 2,300 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | -3% | 1,960 |
| Maine | $100K | -3% | 1,860 |
| Rhode Island | $99K | -3% | 1,020 |
| Missouri | $99K | -3% | 4,900 |
| Arkansas | $99K | -4% | 2,680 |
| Idaho | $99K | -4% | 1,030 |
| Oklahoma | $99K | -4% | 2,560 |
| Louisiana | $99K | -4% | 3,280 |
| Kansas | $98K | -4% | 2,660 |
| Vermont | $98K | -5% | 760 |
| Iowa | $98K | -5% | 2,530 |
| Alabama | $97K | -5% | 3,040 |
| Nebraska | $97K | -6% | 2,140 |
| West Virginia | $97K | -6% | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $93K | -10% | 1,060 |
| Montana | $91K | -11% | 1,180 |
| North Dakota | $85K | -17% | 830 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track physical therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Auburn-Opelika numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Auburn-Opelika?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $995/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in Auburn-Opelika?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,523/month. At HUD’s $995/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physical therapist a high-paying job in Auburn-Opelika?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $86K here vs. $103K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Auburn-Opelika compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Auburn-Opelika pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Auburn-Opelika, AL?
The median is $86,120 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,710, and experienced physical therapists can clear $124,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Auburn-Opelika?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,403/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $995/month, which eats 18.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physical therapists salary go in Auburn-Opelika?
Auburn-Opelika has a Regional Price Parity of 87.93 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physical therapists salary is worth about $97,942 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physical therapists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.