National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Physical Therapists earn a national median of $99,710/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Physical Therapists earn 6% more nationally. The gap is $6,110 per year — or $509 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$6,110
Physical Therapists earn 6% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $69,259.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Physical Therapists
California+$18,980
Oregon+$8,080
New York+$6,480
Washington+$6,080
Massachusetts+$5,680
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Registered Nurses
North Dakota+$13,120
Ohio+$11,520
Alabama+$11,120
Arkansas+$10,320
Florida+$10,320
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Physical Therapists is $99,710 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $6,110 per year or $509 per month.
The national median salary gap between Physical Therapists and Registered Nurses is $6,110 per year. Physical Therapists earn 6% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $69,259.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 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 Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
