National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Software Engineers earn a national median of $132,270/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Software Engineers earn 25% more nationally. The gap is $32,560 per year — or $2,713 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Software Engineer
$132,270
national median/year
$11,023/mo • $64/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$32,560
Software Engineers earn 25% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $369,077.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Software Engineers
North Dakota+$2,000
Alaska+$-4,000
Hawaii+$-4,000
West Virginia+$-4,000
Wyoming+$-4,000
Best states for Software Engineers
vs Physical Therapists
California+$54,000
Washington+$50,000
Massachusetts+$46,000
New York+$46,000
Colorado+$40,000
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Software Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Software Engineers is $132,270 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $32,560 per year or $2,713 per month.
The national median salary gap between Software Engineers and Physical Therapists is $32,560 per year. Software Engineers earn 25% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $369,077.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Software Engineers the highest median salary at $168,320 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 — Software Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts 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, Software Engineers earn approximately $64 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.
