National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Nurses earn a national median of $89,010/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Physical Therapists earn 12% more nationally. The gap is $10,700 per year — or $892 per month.
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Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$10,700
Physical Therapists earn 12% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $121,288.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Nurses
Alabama+$17,000
Florida+$16,000
Indiana+$16,000
Kansas+$16,000
Minnesota+$16,000
Best states for Nurses
vs Physical Therapists
California+$17,150
New York+$-3,000
Oregon+$-3,000
Hawaii+$-4,000
Massachusetts+$-4,000
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Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Nurses is $89,010 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $10,700 per year or $892 per month.
The national median salary gap between Nurses and Physical Therapists is $10,700 per year. Physical Therapists earn 12% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $121,288.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 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. Registered Nurses 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, Nurses earn approximately $43 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.
