Physical Therapist · District of Columbia · SOC 29-1123
Physical Therapists in District of Columbia: 2026 Salary, Real Wage, and Cost-Adjusted Pay
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- District of Columbia pays PTs a BLS median of $100,760 — the more useful number is $91,010, what that paycheck buys after rent and services.
- P25-P75 spread runs $97,220 to $124,650; P10 floor $84,510, P90 ceiling $131,810.
- BEA RPP 110.7 drains roughly $9,750 of purchasing power from the BLS median, the gap routes mostly into housing.
- On a real-wage basis, this state sits at #51 of 51; nominal rank is #20.
- District of Columbia is not in the PT Compact; PTs need a District of Columbia-issued license through endorsement.
Wage breakdown — District of Columbia
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $84,510 | $76,332 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $97,220 | $87,813 |
| P50 (median) | $100,760 | $91,010 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $124,650 | $112,588 |
| P90 (top tier) | $131,810 | $119,056 |
| Mean | $109,970 | $99,329 |
| Employment | 850 PTs in District of Columbia | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | District of Columbia index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 110.7 |
| Goods | 106.5 |
| Services | 109.0 |
| Rents | 168.1 |
District of Columbia is a high-cost state — RPP 110.7 above the national 100 baseline. Most of the cost premium routes through rents (168.1) and services (109.0).
After-tax take-home — District of Columbia (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (PT) | $100,760 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$13,414 | 13.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$5,724 | 4–10.75% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,708 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $73,914 | 73.4% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $66,762 | ÷ (110.7 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the District of Columbia state-tax burden means for PT take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 5.7% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $73,914 (73.4% of gross). After the 110.7 RPP, real take-home is $66,762.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $101,020 for PTs with mean pay of $102,400 and total employment of 248,630. District of Columbia sits at #20 on nominal pay and #51 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, District of Columbia falls 31 positions — the cost premium eats into the headline wage.
Licensure — District of Columbia (PT Compact)
District of Columbia is not currently a PT Compact member. PTs moving to District of Columbia must apply for a District of Columbia-specific license through endorsement; a Compact Privilege from another state is not sufficient. Endorsement fees and processing timelines are set by the District of Columbia Board of Physical Therapy.
Legislative status (2026-05): Not a Compact member; DC PT Board licenses independently.
Source: ptcompact.org state status — re-synced quarterly. See PT Compact reciprocity hub for the cross-state matrix and changelog for status changes.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a PT make in District of Columbia?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $100,760 for PTs in District of Columbia as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $97,220 and the 75th-percentile is $124,650.
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) PT salary in District of Columbia?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 110.7 for District of Columbia), the real-wage equivalent is $91,010 — what the $100,760 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $87,813 to $112,588.
- How are District of Columbia PT salaries calculated on this page?
- Nominal wages come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) — annual employer surveys, May 2026 reference period. Real-wage figures use BEA Regional Price Parities (2023 vintage) to adjust for state-level cost of living. No self-report or jobs-board data is mixed in.
- How many PTs does District of Columbia employ?
- BLS OES counts 850 PTs employed in District of Columbia in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- Why is the BEA RPP for District of Columbia different from a single CPI number?
- BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. District of Columbia's overall index of 110.7 reflects rents 168.1, services 109.0, and goods 106.5.
- Is District of Columbia a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for PTs?
- No — District of Columbia's RPP of 110.7 sits above 100, meaning the $100,760 nominal wage compresses to a real-wage equivalent of $91,010. The cost premium goes mostly to rents and services.
- How much can a travel PT earn in District of Columbia?
- Travel-PT weekly contracts in {state} typically run $1,800-$2,800 per week including stipends, depending on demand and metro. Annualized, that's well above the staff PT median, but the comparison must net out housing-stipend tax treatment, lack of benefits, and 401(k) accrual.
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 29-1123, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how District of Columbia PT pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.