Physical Therapist.
Washington DC.
$130,000
median salary, 29% above the national average
$107,000 to $151,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
A Physical Therapist in Washington DC earns a median of $130,000 in 2026. That is 29% above the national average. The range runs from $107,000 to $151,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Setting drives the biggest pay differences, with home health and travel PT positions paying 15 to 25% above outpatient clinics. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Physical Therapist in Washington DC, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $102,980 for Physical Therapists (SOC 29-1123) in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, based on 4,540 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$79,080
25th percentile
$94,680
Median
$102,980
75th percentile
$127,020
90th percentile
$137,070
Workers surveyed
4,540
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $130,000 is 26% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Physical Therapists covers a different population than the Physical Therapist title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Physical Therapists (SOC 29-1123) rather than Physical Therapist specifically. The Washington DC range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1123Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $117,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$85,000
to $104,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$111,000
to $137,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$143,000
to $169,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$163,000
to $202,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $33,000 to the total package.
Base
$130,000
Equity
$18,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $163,000
How Washington DC compares.
Washington DC, DC
$130,000
Cost of living: 25% above average
National Average
$101,000
Washington DC is $29,000 above
Physical Therapist salary by city.
Salary by role in Washington DC.
What you should know.
The Physical Therapist landscape in Washington DC is not what most salary sites will tell you. Washington DC's job market is shaped by the federal government, defense contractors, and a growing commercial tech sector. Cybersecurity, cloud computing, and consulting firms drive demand for cleared professionals. The region's stability, combined with high government pay scales, creates a salary floor that pulls private sector compensation upward. Setting drives the biggest pay differences, with home health and travel PT positions paying 15 to 25% above outpatient clinics. Board-certified specialists in areas like orthopedics or neurology earn premiums. Geographic cost of living and state reimbursement rates also create significant variance across markets.
New-graduate PTs start at $70,000 to $80,000 in outpatient settings. With board certification and five years of experience, salaries reach $90,000 to $105,000. Clinical directors and practice owners can earn $110,000 to $130,000 depending on practice size and revenue. In Washington DC, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 25% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Benefits typically include CEU reimbursement of $1,500 to $3,000, student loan repayment assistance, and health insurance. Travel PTs receive housing stipends and per diems that can add $15,000 to $25,000 in effective annual compensation. And on the tax side: dC income tax rates reach 10.75% for high earners. Maryland and Virginia residents working in DC face their own state taxes. Choose your residence jurisdiction carefully to optimize net pay. When someone quotes you $130,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: A security clearance is your strongest negotiation asset. Cleared professionals in DC command 20 to 30% premiums, and transferring your clearance to a new employer saves them significant time and cost. The range for Physical Therapists in Washington DC runs from $107,000 to $151,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Programmer in Washington DC earns $129,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Washington DC is CTO at $379,000
Common questions.
Physical Therapist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Washington DC.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Physical Therapist Salary in Washington DC, DC." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/physical-therapist/washington-dc
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