Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in New York is $100,660/year ($48.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $136K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $102,495 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 30.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $101K get you in New York?
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What this looks like in New York
Physical therapists pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $101K locally vs. $103K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,917/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $136K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapists salary by metro in New York
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $108K | +7% | 21,240 |
| Ithaca | $101K | +1% | 110 |
| Binghamton | $100K | -1% | 240 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $97K | -4% | 640 |
| Glens Falls | $96K | -4% | 100 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $96K | -5% | 1,410 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $94K | -7% | 790 |
| Syracuse | $92K | -9% | 700 |
| Kingston | $91K | -9% | 90 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum | $87K | -13% | 90 |
| Elmira | $87K | -14% | 60 |
| Utica-Rome | $86K | -15% | 250 |
| Rochester | $83K | -17% | 1,140 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
Compare to other states
Track physical therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 31% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in New York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,415/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is physical therapist a high-paying job in New York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $101K locally vs. $103K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for physical therapists?
New York pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in New York?
The median is $100,660 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,580, and experienced physical therapists can clear $136,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,184/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 31% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a physical therapists salary go in New York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $102,495 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.