Physical Therapist · Indiana · SOC 29-1123
Indiana Physical Therapist Salary — 2026 BLS + BEA RPP
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- Headline PT pay in Indiana is $99,310. Real take-home, after the state's cost-of-living index, lands at $107,832.
- Wage envelope: $69,990 (P10) to $125,090 (P90), with quartiles at $80,270 and $107,790.
- Low BEA RPP (92.1) means the paycheck stretches further than the BLS number suggests; net lift roughly $8,522.
- Nominal: #30/51 · Real: #16/51 — ranking shifts by 14 positions after RPP.
- Indiana participates in the PT Compact — physical therapists with a Compact Privilege can practice across Indiana without a separate license.
Wage breakdown — Indiana
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $69,990 | $75,996 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $80,270 | $87,158 |
| P50 (median) | $99,310 | $107,832 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $107,790 | $117,040 |
| P90 (top tier) | $125,090 | $135,824 |
| Mean | $98,320 | $106,757 |
| Employment | 5,180 PTs in Indiana | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | Indiana index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 92.1 |
| Goods | 95.6 |
| Services | 84.7 |
| Rents | 71.3 |
Indiana sits below the national baseline (RPP 92.1), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 71.3.
After-tax take-home — Indiana (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (PT) | $99,310 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$13,095 | 13.2% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$2,880 | 2.9% flat 2026 (+ ~1% county avg) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,597 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $75,738 | 76.3% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $82,237 | ÷ (92.1 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the Indiana state-tax burden means for PT take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 2.9% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $75,738 (76.3% of gross). After the 92.1 RPP, real take-home is $82,237. Local-tax overlay: Every Indiana county levies a local income tax averaging 1–3% — Marion (Indianapolis) 2.02%, Lake 1.5%, Allen 1.59%.
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. Indiana sits at #30 on nominal pay and #16 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Indiana climbs 14 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Licensure — Indiana (PT Compact)
Indiana participates in the Physical Therapy Compact, with effective participation since 2018. PTs and PTAs with a Compact Privilege issued from another member state may practice in Indiana without separately applying for a Indiana license. Indiana Compact Privilege fees are typically $45 per state per 1-year cycle (vs. $200–$400 + 60–90 days for traditional endorsement), making it the dominant pathway for travel PTs and multi-state telehealth practices.
Indiana has been a Compact participant for 8 years as of 2026, putting it among the long-tenured members where the Compact pathway is the established norm at most employers and travel agencies.
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
- What is the real (cost-adjusted) PT salary in Indiana?
- After BEA RPP adjustment (regional price parity index 92.1 for Indiana), the real-wage equivalent is $107,832 — what the $99,310 nominal salary actually buys. Quartiles in real terms: $87,158 to $117,040.
- How are Indiana 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 Indiana employ?
- BLS OES counts 5,180 PTs employed in Indiana 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 Indiana 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. Indiana's overall index of 92.1 reflects rents 71.3, services 84.7, and goods 95.6.
- How wide is the wage spread in Indiana?
- P10 to P90 spans $69,990 to $125,090. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
- Is Indiana a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for PTs?
- Yes — the BEA RPP of 92.1 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $99,310 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $107,832. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for PTs comparing offers across regions.
- DPT degree ROI in Indiana — does the salary justify $100K+ tuition?
- BLS reports a Indiana PT median in the table above; DPT programs typically run $80K-$150K in tuition plus 3 years of foregone earnings. ROI breakeven is usually 8-15 years post-graduation depending on starting compensation, specialty (orthopedic / neuro / cardiopulmonary), and clinical setting (outpatient vs hospital vs home health).
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 Indiana 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.