Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY is $87,200/year ($41.93/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $99,441 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,405/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Pay for physical therapists in Watertown-Fort Drum runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $103K. Rent runs $1,405/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. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapists in metros near Watertown-Fort Drum, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $108K | $96K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $96K | $100K |
| Rochester | $83K | $86K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $94K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $115K 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 Watertown-Fort Drum numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 25.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,523/month. At HUD’s $1,405/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $87K here vs. $103K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $87,200 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,390, and experienced physical therapists can clear $115,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,462/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (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 $99,441 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.