Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Missoula, MT is $83,970/year ($40.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.44), that's roughly $87,070 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,361/month, or 25.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $84K get you in Missoula?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Missoula’s Regional Price Parity (96.44). 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 Missoula
Pay for physical therapists in Missoula runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $103K. Rent runs $1,361/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapists in metros near Missoula, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $97K | $104K |
| Bozeman | $97K | $95K |
| Helena | $84K | $88K |
| Great Falls | $82K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missoula, MT
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $28K 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 Missoula numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missoula?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 25.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,361/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in Missoula?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,691/month. At HUD’s $1,361/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physical therapist a high-paying job in Missoula?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $84K here vs. $103K nationally.
How does Missoula compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Missoula pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Missoula, MT?
The median is $83,970 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,180, and experienced physical therapists can clear $106,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Missoula?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,301/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,361/month, which eats 25.7% 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 Missoula?
Missoula has a Regional Price Parity of 96.44 (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 $87,070 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.