Tennessee · SOC 29-1123
Physical Therapists in Tennessee
State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for Tennessee; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.
Median Salary
$100,140
per year in this state
3% below
National Median
$102,760
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$48.15/hr
median hourly
Employment
4,800
jobs in TN
Salary Range in Tennessee
Annual Salary Distribution
What This Means for Physical Therapists in Tennessee
According to BLS OEWS state estimates, Tennessee ranks #31 of 52 states and territories for Physical Therapists pay, the middle tier (60th percentile) nationally. Full pay-distribution context, including how Tennessee compares to the national median, follows below.
This page captures the Physical Therapists labor market inside Tennessee using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $100,140 ($48.15/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 4,800 workers in this SOC code (29-1123). Relative to the national median of $102,760, the state estimate is 3% below. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.
Within Tennessee, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $67,280, the 25th earns $80,930, the 75th reaches $111,140, and the 90th hits $127,500. The upper boundary is roughly 1.9× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.
Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within Tennessee where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.
Top Paying Jobs in Tennessee
What this shows Bar width is each occupation's median wage relative to the top-paying job on this list. Hover or tap a row for its exact share of the leader and rank.
Similar Occupations in Tennessee
Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.
Other states with similar Physical Therapists pay or employment
Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside Tennessee. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.
Similar median pay
Nearest state medians ($100,140 here).
- Physical Therapists in Mississippi · $99,990
- Physical Therapists in North Carolina · $99,910
- Physical Therapists in Utah · $99,880
- Physical Therapists in Wyoming · $100,400
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (4,800 jobs here; floor 1,000).
- Physical Therapists in Missouri · 4,900
- Physical Therapists in Arizona · 5,170
- Physical Therapists in Minnesota · 5,180
- Physical Therapists in Washington · 5,370
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 29-1123. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Related federal data for Tennessee
📊 BLS OEWS - Tennessee
Federal wage estimates by occupation
📈 BLS Employment Projections
10-year occupation growth, national
🏢 BLS QCEW state series
Quarterly employment and wage program (BLS)
🏛️ OPM FedScope
Federal workforce data by agency and location
⚖️ OSHA Establishment Search
Federal workplace-safety records
🏠 HUD Fair Market Rents
Federal area-level rent benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Physical Therapists make in Tennessee?
The median annual salary for Physical Therapists in Tennessee is $100,140 (3% below national avg). Pay ranges from $67,280 (10th percentile) to $127,500 (90th percentile).
How many Physical Therapists work in Tennessee?
There are approximately 4,800 Physical Therapists employed in Tennessee, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
What is the hourly rate for Physical Therapists in Tennessee?
The median hourly wage for Physical Therapists in Tennessee is $48.15/hr.
Where does WageDex get its salary data?
All salary and employment data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's Tennessee figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.