National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Physical Therapists earn a national median of $99,710/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 104% more nationally. The gap is $103,300 per year — or $8,608 per month.
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Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$103,300
Pilots earn 104% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,170,936.
Best states for Pilots
vs Physical Therapists
New York+$125,690
California+$123,690
Virginia+$123,690
Maryland+$121,690
Massachusetts+$119,690
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Pilots
Arkansas+$-73,690
North Dakota+$-73,690
West Virginia+$-73,690
Mississippi+$-75,690
Wyoming+$-77,690
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Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Physical Therapists is $99,710 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $103,300 per year or $8,608 per month.
The national median salary gap between Physical Therapists and Pilots is $103,300 per year. Pilots earn 104% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,170,936.
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 Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physical Therapists and Airline and Commercial Pilots 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 Pilots earn approximately $98 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.
