Physical Therapist vs Physician (Doctor) Salary
Physician (Doctor)s earn approximately 139.6% more than Physical Therapists nationally — $230,000 vs $96,000.
Physical Therapist vs Physician (Doctor): salary breakdown
On a national-median basis, Physician (Doctor)s out-earn Physical Therapists by $134,000 per year — a 139.6% gap. That works out to roughly $11,167/month or $64/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 $134,000 annual difference compounds:
- Over 10 years: ~$1,340,000 in raw salary difference
- Over 40 years: ~$5,360,000 (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 $134,000/year extra invested at 7% over 40 years grows to roughly $26,666,000 — 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:
- Physical Therapist in California ≈ $113,280 (1.18× national)
- Physical Therapist in Mississippi ≈ $80,640 (0.84× national)
- Physician (Doctor) in California ≈ $271,400
- Physician (Doctor) in Mississippi ≈ $193,200
Use our Physical Therapist salary by state pages to drill into specific locations.
Other comparisons in Healthcare
Related tools
Physical Therapist salary by state — Physician (Doctor) salary by state — Best cities for Physical Therapist — Best cities for Physician (Doctor) — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.