Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Texas is $105,810/year ($50.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $115,652 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 20% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $106K get you in Texas?
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What this looks like in Texas
Physical therapists pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $106K locally vs. $103K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 20.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapists salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | $118K | +12% | 130 |
| Longview | $114K | +8% | 190 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $114K | +7% | 250 |
| Sherman-Denison | $111K | +5% | 120 |
| Amarillo | $110K | +4% | 190 |
| Odessa | $110K | +4% | 60 |
| Tyler | $108K | +2% | 250 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $108K | +2% | 6,100 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $108K | +2% | 4,680 |
| Corpus Christi | $106K | +0% | 380 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $106K | +0% | 1,700 |
| Texarkana | $106K | -0% | 140 |
| College Station-Bryan | $105K | -1% | 190 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $104K | -2% | 590 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $104K | -2% | 280 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $104K | -2% | 2,470 |
| San Angelo | $103K | -3% | 110 |
| Abilene | $103K | -3% | 180 |
| Victoria | $103K | -3% | 140 |
| El Paso | $102K | -3% | 550 |
| Lubbock | $101K | -4% | 360 |
| Waco | $100K | -5% | 250 |
| Laredo | $99K | -6% | 160 |
| Killeen-Temple | $98K | -7% | 370 |
| Wichita Falls | $93K | -12% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 20.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,596/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $106K locally vs. $103K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Texas pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Texas?
The median is $105,810 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,600, and experienced physical therapists can clear $139,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,902/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 20.5% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $115,652 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.