Cashier vs Physical Therapist Salary
Physical Therapists earn approximately 231.0% more than Cashiers nationally — $96,000 vs $29,000.
Cashier vs Physical Therapist: salary breakdown
On a national-median basis, Physical Therapists out-earn Cashiers by $67,000 per year — a 231.0% gap. That works out to roughly $5,583/month or $32/hour of difference.
Important context: these are MEDIANS — the middle salary in the country. Real-world variation is wide: entry-level roles in either career may pay 25-35% below median, while senior roles or specialized niches can pay 50-100%+ above. Your specific numbers depend on experience, location, employer, and credentials.
When does the salary gap matter most?
For someone choosing between these careers, the $67,000 annual difference compounds:
- Over 10 years: ~$670,000 in raw salary difference
- Over 40 years: ~$2,680,000 (without raises or compounding)
- With 3% annual raises: the gap typically grows because the higher-paid role's raises are also larger in dollar terms
- With investment compounding: the $67,000/year extra invested at 7% over 40 years grows to roughly $13,333,000 — significantly more than the raw difference
But salary isn't everything. Job satisfaction, work-life balance, growth potential, and career switching costs all matter. A career you can sustain for decades beats a higher-paying one you'll burn out on.
By state and city — significant variation
National medians are starting points. Real salaries vary 30%+ by location:
- Cashier in California ≈ $34,220 (1.18× national)
- Cashier in Mississippi ≈ $24,360 (0.84× national)
- Physical Therapist in California ≈ $113,280
- Physical Therapist in Mississippi ≈ $80,640
Use our Cashier salary by state pages to drill into specific locations.
Other comparisons in Retail
Other comparisons in Healthcare
Related tools
Cashier salary by state — Physical Therapist salary by state — Best cities for Cashier — Best cities for Physical Therapist — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.