Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Fresno, CA is $123,820/year ($59.53/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $96K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.16), that's roughly $121,202 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,664/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $124K actually covers in Fresno, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fresno’s Regional Price Parity (102.16). 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 Fresno
Fresno sits well above the national pay line for physical therapists, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $103K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,664/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Fresno offers a genuinely strong financial position for physical therapistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapists in metros near Fresno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $108K | $95K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $142K | $123K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $114K | $102K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $120K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fresno, CA
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $96K. Mid-career wages sit at $124K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $47K 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)
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fresno?
Yes — at the median salary of $124K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,664/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in Fresno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $96K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,917/month. At HUD’s $1,664/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physical therapist a high-paying job in Fresno?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $124K here vs. $103K nationally.
How does Fresno compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Fresno pays $124K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Fresno, CA?
The median is $123,820 a year, that works out to about $60 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $96,250, and experienced physical therapists can clear $142,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $124K enough to live in Fresno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,311/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,664/month, which eats 22.8% 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 Fresno?
Fresno has a Regional Price Parity of 102.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median physical therapists salary is worth about $121,202 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.