National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Physical Therapists earn 25% more nationally. The gap is $19,830 per year — or $1,653 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$19,830
Physical Therapists earn 25% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $224,779.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Accountants
Hawaii+$34,000
Alaska+$30,000
Arizona+$26,000
Nevada+$26,000
Oregon+$24,000
Best states for Accountants
vs Physical Therapists
New York+$-4,000
Massachusetts+$-10,000
Maryland+$-12,000
Virginia+$-12,000
Connecticut+$-14,000
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Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $19,830 per year or $1,653 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Physical Therapists is $19,830 per year. Physical Therapists earn 25% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $224,779.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Accountants the highest median salary at $98,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Physical Therapists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Accountants and Auditors and Physical Therapists both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Accountants earn approximately $38 per hour nationally and Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
