Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Wilmington, NC is $98,770/year ($47.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $102,437 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,426/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $99K get you in Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). 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 Wilmington
Physical therapists pay in Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $99K locally vs. $103K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,426/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) 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 Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $101K | $104K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $100K | $102K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $100K | $103K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $99K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $46K 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 Wilmington numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wilmington?
Yes — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physical therapists in Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,528/month. At HUD’s $1,426/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 Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $99K locally vs. $103K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Wilmington pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $98,770 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,470, and experienced physical therapists can clear $121,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,119/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month, which eats 23.3% 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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (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 $102,437 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.