GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Physical Therapists
Best States to Be a Physical Therapists
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a physical therapists salary goes furthest in Alaska — a $115,280 BLS median worth $112,623 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 111.3).
Which US states are best for a physical therapists after cost of living and tax?
For a physical therapists, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Alaska #1: a $115,280 BLS median becomes $112,623 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 111.3). Hawaii ranks last ($86,858, index 85.9). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Alaska ranks #1 of 51 states for a physical therapists. Index 100 = the average state; 111.3 means pay goes 11.3% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedPhysical Therapists — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $115,280 | — | 102.4 | $112,623 | 111.3 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $106,880 | $3,960 | 92.2 | $111,612 | 110.3 |
| 3 | Nevada | $111,250 | — | 100.0 | $111,273 | 110.0 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $99,990 | $3,594 | 87.0 | $110,859 | 109.6 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $99,010 | $3,653 | 86.9 | $109,685 | 108.4 |
| 6 | Texas | $105,810 | — | 97.1 | $109,018 | 107.8 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $100,140 | — | 91.9 | $109,002 | 107.7 |
| 8 | Ohio | $103,050 | $2,056 | 92.8 | $108,860 | 107.6 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $98,530 | $2,581 | 88.2 | $108,777 | 107.5 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $100,400 | — | 92.7 | $108,317 | 107.1 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $98,590 | $4,145 | 87.8 | $107,515 | 106.3 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $100,710 | $3,898 | 90.2 | $107,380 | 106.1 |
| 13 | Iowa | $97,560 | $3,667 | 87.8 | $106,986 | 105.7 |
| 14 | Indiana | $101,560 | $3,017 | 93.3 | $105,587 | 104.4 |
| 15 | California | $124,190 | $7,428 | 110.7 | $105,457 | 104.2 |
| 16 | Missouri | $99,310 | $3,787 | 90.8 | $105,182 | 104.0 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $92,660 | — | 88.6 | $104,599 | 103.4 |
| 18 | Alabama | $97,290 | $4,600 | 88.8 | $104,354 | 103.1 |
| 19 | Kansas | $98,290 | $4,685 | 90.1 | $103,927 | 102.7 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $96,600 | $3,721 | 89.5 | $103,779 | 102.6 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $101,840 | $4,245 | 94.1 | $103,719 | 102.5 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $97,090 | $3,953 | 90.1 | $103,368 | 102.2 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $101,330 | $4,675 | 93.7 | $103,100 | 101.9 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $99,910 | $3,704 | 94.3 | $101,993 | 100.8 |
| 25 | Georgia | $102,700 | $4,889 | 96.3 | $101,577 | 100.4 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $101,380 | $3,112 | 97.6 | $100,713 | 99.5 |
| 27 | Michigan | $100,900 | $4,042 | 96.2 | $100,666 | 99.5 |
| 28 | Arizona | $103,220 | $2,106 | 100.7 | $100,435 | 99.3 |
| 29 | Illinois | $105,250 | $5,069 | 100.0 | $100,223 | 99.1 |
| 30 | Washington | $105,950 | — | 107.0 | $99,007 | 97.9 |
| 31 | Idaho | $99,000 | $4,518 | 95.5 | $98,941 | 97.8 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $112,140 | $4,953 | 108.8 | $98,513 | 97.4 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $102,010 | $5,448 | 98.6 | $97,912 | 96.8 |
| 34 | Florida | $101,040 | — | 103.4 | $97,704 | 96.6 |
| 35 | Maine | $99,720 | $5,181 | 97.0 | $97,413 | 96.3 |
| 36 | Maryland | $106,890 | $4,747 | 105.0 | $97,317 | 96.2 |
| 37 | Delaware | $102,050 | $5,394 | 99.8 | $96,842 | 95.7 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $104,360 | $4,165 | 103.6 | $96,704 | 95.6 |
| 39 | Utah | $99,880 | $4,545 | 98.9 | $96,431 | 95.3 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $99,850 | — | 104.2 | $95,858 | 94.7 |
| 41 | Vermont | $97,970 | $4,084 | 98.0 | $95,843 | 94.7 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $85,330 | $426 | 89.0 | $95,442 | 94.3 |
| 43 | Virginia | $101,450 | $5,034 | 101.1 | $95,364 | 94.3 |
| 44 | Colorado | $102,030 | $3,829 | 103.1 | $95,292 | 94.2 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | $99,400 | $3,163 | 102.3 | $94,092 | 93.0 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | $103,790 | $4,970 | 105.8 | $93,441 | 92.4 |
| 47 | Oregon | $103,510 | $8,253 | 103.4 | $92,159 | 91.1 |
| 48 | Montana | $91,450 | $4,257 | 94.6 | $92,126 | 91.1 |
| 49 | New York | $100,660 | $4,991 | 107.9 | $88,647 | 87.6 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $101,640 | $5,764 | 109.9 | $87,238 | 86.2 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $101,700 | $6,199 | 110.0 | $86,858 | 85.9 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Alaska, a $115,280 salary is worth about $112,623 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $115,280 · BEA cost of living 102.4 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $130,133, a $17,510 gain over Alaska.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $130,133 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $127,430 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $126,772 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $126,744 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $126,364 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $126,348 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $125,482 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $125,001 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $124,370 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $123,297 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $122,748 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $122,600 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Physical Therapists — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a physical therapists?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Alaska is the best state for a physical therapists: a BLS median of $115,280 is worth $112,623 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 102.4), an index of 111.3 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. California has the highest headline BLS median for a physical therapists at $124,190, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #15 of 51 on real pay (index 104.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a physical therapists salary go least far?
- Hawaii ranks last of 51 states for a physical therapists: a $101,700 BLS median is worth only $86,858 after tax and cost of living (index 85.9). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS
BLS OEWS updates roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed real-pay rankings when new wage data lands.
Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a physical therapists is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.