Physical Therapist · Texas · SOC 29-1123
2026 Physical Therapist Pay in Texas: BLS Median + Real Take-Home
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- Median PT salary in Texas: $103,710 nominal, $106,763 real (BEA RPP basis).
- Nominal: #8/51 · Real: #20/51 — ranking shifts by 12 positions after RPP.
- Mid-band cost of living: real and nominal wage are within a few percent of each other.
- Wage envelope: $74,380 (P10) to $135,390 (P90), with quartiles at $85,560 and $124,160.
- Texas participates in the PT Compact — physical therapists with a Compact Privilege can practice across Texas without a separate license.
Wage breakdown — Texas
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $74,380 | $76,570 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $85,560 | $88,079 |
| P50 (median) | $103,710 | $106,763 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $124,160 | $127,816 |
| P90 (top tier) | $135,390 | $139,376 |
| Mean | $106,450 | $109,584 |
| Employment | 18,930 PTs in Texas | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | Texas index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 97.1 |
| Goods | 98.1 |
| Services | 92.4 |
| Rents | 97.5 |
Texas's overall RPP (97.1) is close to the national 100 baseline; nominal and real wage move roughly together.
After-tax take-home — Texas (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (PT) | $103,710 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$14,063 | 13.6% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | $0 | no state income tax |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,934 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $81,713 | 78.8% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $84,119 | ÷ (97.1 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the Texas state-tax burden means for PT take-home
Texas levies no state income tax on wages, which is worth roughly $5,186 a year for a PT at the BLS median compared with the national-average state burden (≈5%). After the favorable cost of living, real take-home is $84,119 — higher than the nominal after-tax figure because RPP is below 100.
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. Texas sits at #8 on nominal pay and #20 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Texas falls 12 positions — the cost premium eats into the headline wage.
Licensure — Texas (PT Compact)
Texas 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 Texas without separately applying for a Texas license. Texas 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.
Texas 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
- How much does a PT make in Texas?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $103,710 for PTs in Texas as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $85,560 and the 75th-percentile is $124,160.
- What does the top of the PT pay scale look like in Texas?
- The 90th percentile lands at $135,390. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $124,160.
- Why is the BEA RPP for Texas 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. Texas's overall index of 97.1 reflects rents 97.5, services 92.4, and goods 98.1.
- Should I negotiate based on the BLS median for Texas?
- The BLS median is a calibration anchor, not a ceiling. Use it to validate that an offer is in-band — anything well below the P25 in this state is a flag, anything above the P75 typically requires demonstrable specialty depth, niche credentials, or a high-COL metro within Texas.
- When does this data update?
- BLS OES releases a new May reference set roughly each spring; we re-run the ETL pipeline within two weeks of release. BEA RPP refreshes annually. The last-synced timestamp at the top of this page reflects the most recent build.
- DPT degree ROI in Texas — does the salary justify $100K+ tuition?
- BLS reports a Texas 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).
- Outpatient vs hospital vs home-health PT pay in Texas?
- BLS does not segment PT pay by setting. In practice across Texas, hospital-based PTs typically lead on hourly rate, home-health PTs lead on per-visit productivity bonuses, and outpatient orthopedic clinics fall in the middle. Travel-PT contracts can substantially exceed all staff settings during demand spikes.
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 Texas 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.