Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $102,430/year ($49.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $101,526 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,977/month, or 28.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $102K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Physical therapists pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater tracks closely to the national median, $102K locally vs. $103K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,977/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapists in metros near Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $101K | $88K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $102K | $100K |
| Jacksonville | $100K | $101K |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $104K | $102K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $40K 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 29.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,814/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $102K locally vs. $103K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $102,430 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,230, and experienced physical therapists can clear $120,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,704/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 29.5% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $101,526 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.