Physical Therapist · Wisconsin · SOC 29-1123
Wisconsin 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
- Physical Therapists in Wisconsin earn a BLS median of $100,440, with real take-home of $107,745 after BEA RPP adjustment.
- After the cost-of-living adjustment, take-home rises by $7,305 versus the BLS median — purchasing-power arbitrage.
- Bottom quartile $86,510, top quartile $108,330. The P90 ($121,780) is roughly 1.5× the P10 ($78,870).
- Wisconsin is a PT Compact member: cross-state practice via Compact Privilege rather than full re-licensure.
- On a real-wage basis, this state sits at #17 of 51; nominal rank is #25.
Wage breakdown — Wisconsin
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $78,870 | $84,606 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $86,510 | $92,802 |
| P50 (median) | $100,440 | $107,745 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $108,330 | $116,209 |
| P90 (top tier) | $121,780 | $130,637 |
| Mean | $99,340 | $106,565 |
| Employment | 5,240 PTs in Wisconsin | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | Wisconsin index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 93.2 |
| Goods | 94.3 |
| Services | 89.5 |
| Rents | 78.3 |
Wisconsin sits below the national baseline (RPP 93.2), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 78.3.
After-tax take-home — Wisconsin (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (PT) | $100,440 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$13,344 | 13.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$4,235 | 3.5–7.65% (graduated) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$7,684 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $75,177 | 74.8% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $80,645 | ÷ (93.2 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the Wisconsin state-tax burden means for PT take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 4.2% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $75,177 (74.8% of gross). After the 93.2 RPP, real take-home is $80,645.
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. Wisconsin sits at #25 on nominal pay and #17 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Wisconsin climbs 8 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Licensure — Wisconsin (PT Compact)
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin without separately applying for a Wisconsin license. Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $100,440 for PTs in Wisconsin as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $86,510 and the 75th-percentile is $108,330.
- How are Wisconsin 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.
- What does the top of the PT pay scale look like in Wisconsin?
- The 90th percentile lands at $121,780. 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 $108,330.
- How wide is the wage spread in Wisconsin?
- P10 to P90 spans $78,870 to $121,780. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
- What are the limits of these PT salary numbers?
- BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.
- Should I negotiate based on the BLS median for Wisconsin?
- 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 Wisconsin.
- Outpatient vs hospital vs home-health PT pay in Wisconsin?
- BLS does not segment PT pay by setting. In practice across Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin 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.