PublicPay

Physical Therapist federal salary series 0633

Full-time federal employees in the Physical Therapist series earned a median of $122,262 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 12% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $111,216 and $136,622.

Median pay
$122,262
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$111,216–$136,622
25th–75th percentile
Employees
3,759
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1.7%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Physical Therapist
All federal (full-time)

What shapes physical therapist pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-12 (2,294 employees, median $116,030). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Veterans Affairs (3,258 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in California ($156,999) and lowest in South Dakota ($110,395), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 12% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Physical Therapist pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Physical Therapist pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-11 54 $92,107 $85,529–$97,087
GS-12 2,294 $116,030 $107,411–$126,531
GS-13 1,171 $133,077 $124,177–$142,926
GS-14 130 $159,528 $147,350–$170,484
AD (ungraded) 77 $56,471 $54,083–$60,302

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Physical Therapist pay by agency

Physical Therapist pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Veterans Affairs 3,258 $122,672 $111,911–$137,038
Department of Health and Human Services 60 $98,459 $93,107–$115,478

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Physical Therapist pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Physical Therapist pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Florida 295 $114,393 $101,682–$123,990
California 265 $156,999 $142,223–$183,833
Texas 212 $120,431 $110,282–$130,754
Ohio 146 $115,053 $102,808–$125,122
New York 138 $124,177 $112,320–$133,611
Pennsylvania 128 $115,852 $107,411–$124,177
North Carolina 105 $118,557 $103,705–$129,856
Wisconsin 100 $115,449 $104,427–$127,058
Illinois 91 $120,073 $111,724–$130,884
Virginia 90 $134,822 $120,976–$147,315

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare physical therapist pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.7% from $120,256 in September 2025 to $122,262 in September 2026. Headcount went from 3,760 to 3,759 (±0.0%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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