National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Physical Therapists earn 62% more nationally. The gap is $38,160 per year — or $3,180 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$38,160
Physical Therapists earn 62% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $432,555.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Plumbers
Arizona+$42,000
Florida+$38,000
California+$36,000
Colorado+$36,000
Delaware+$36,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Physical Therapists
Illinois+$-20,000
New York+$-20,000
Michigan+$-24,000
Missouri+$-24,000
North Dakota+$-24,000
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Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $38,160 per year or $3,180 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Physical Therapists is $38,160 per year. Physical Therapists earn 62% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $432,555.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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 — Physical Therapists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
