National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Physical Therapists earn a national median of $99,710/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Physical Therapists earn 41% more nationally. The gap is $40,510 per year — or $3,376 per month.
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Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$40,510
Physical Therapists earn 41% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $459,193.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Physical Therapists
Maryland+$-28,120
New York+$-28,120
Virginia+$-30,120
Illinois+$-32,120
Massachusetts+$-32,120
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Paralegals
Alaska+$52,120
Hawaii+$46,120
Arizona+$42,120
Nevada+$42,120
North Dakota+$42,120
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Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Physical Therapists is $99,710 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $40,510 per year or $3,376 per month.
The national median salary gap between Physical Therapists and Paralegals is $40,510 per year. Physical Therapists earn 41% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $459,193.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 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. Physical Therapists and Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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, Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 per hour nationally and Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
