National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Doctors earn a national median of $236,000/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Doctors earn 58% more nationally. The gap is $136,290 per year — or $11,358 per month.
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Doctor
$236,000
national median/year
$19,667/mo • $113/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$136,290
Doctors earn 58% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,544,887.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Doctors
Arizona+$-130,000
Arkansas+$-130,000
Hawaii+$-130,000
Nevada+$-130,000
Idaho+$-134,000
Best states for Doctors
vs Physical Therapists
Massachusetts+$156,000
Maryland+$152,000
Minnesota+$150,000
New Jersey+$150,000
New York+$150,000
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Doctors earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Doctors is $236,000 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $136,290 per year or $11,358 per month.
The national median salary gap between Doctors and Physical Therapists is $136,290 per year. Doctors earn 58% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,544,887.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Massachusetts pays Doctors the highest median salary at $258,320 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 — Doctors earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physicians and Surgeons 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, Doctors earn approximately $113 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.
