How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Chico, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in Chico, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chico metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Chico, California earns $64.89 per hour, or $134,970 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $11,248 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $89,710, and the top 10% of earners make over $149,110.
That pay is 9% above the California figure of $124,190 and 31% above the national figure of $102,760. Chico ranks 6th of 25 metro areas in California for Physical Therapist pay. About 180 Physical Therapists work in the Chico area.
Physical Therapist pay in Chico at a glance
- Typical pay is $64.89 an hour, or $134,970 a year.
- That is 9% above the California figure, ranking 6th of 25 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $89,710; the top 10% make over $149,110.
- Typical pay rose +41% from 2015 to 2025, against +32% for California as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Chico?
Pay in Chico runs from entry-level positions at around $43.13 an hour to more than $71.69 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Chico
| Career stage | Chico | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $89,710$43.13 an hour | $85,580$41.15 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $105,210$50.58 an hour | $100,790$48.46 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $134,970$64.89 an hour | $124,190$59.71 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $135,370$65.08 an hour | $141,260$67.91 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $149,110$71.69 an hour | $163,960$78.83 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chico area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Chico
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Chico area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Chico was $95,510 a year. By 2025 it had reached $134,970, a change of +41%, compared with +32% for California over the same years.
How Chico compares with other California cities
Oakland pays Physical Therapists the most in California at $141,980 a year, $7,010 more than Chico. The lowest-paying area in the state is San Luis Obispo at $101,860.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chico | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland metro incl. Fremont · San Francisco | $141,980 | $68.26 | +5% | 3,140 |
| 2 | Vallejo | $141,530 | $68.04 | +5% | 300 |
| 3 | Petaluma metro incl. Santa Rosa | $140,100 | $67.36 | +4% | 290 |
| 4 | Sunnyvale metro incl. San Jose · Santa Clara | $139,000 | $66.83 | +3% | 1,460 |
| 5 | Napa | $138,540 | $66.61 | +3% | 50 |
| 6 | Chico | $134,970 | $64.89 | this city | 180 |
| 7 | Roseville metro incl. Folsom · Sacramento | $131,430 | $63.19 | -3% | 1,610 |
| 8 | Santa Barbara metro incl. Santa Maria | $128,680 | $61.87 | -5% | 310 |
| 9 | Corcoran metro incl. Hanford | $127,460 | $61.28 | -6% | 40 |
| 10 | Salinas | $127,120 | $61.12 | -6% | 190 |
| 11 | Modesto | $126,600 | $60.86 | -6% | 400 |
| 12 | Merced | $126,000 | $60.58 | -7% | 60 |
| 13 | Bakersfield metro incl. Delano | $125,490 | $60.33 | -7% | 310 |
| 14 | Watsonville metro incl. Santa Cruz | $124,790 | $60.00 | -8% | 160 |
| 15 | Stockton metro incl. Lodi | $124,260 | $59.74 | -8% | 350 |
| 16 | Fresno | $123,820 | $59.53 | -8% | 620 |
| 17 | Ontario metro incl. Riverside · San Bernardino | $120,110 | $57.74 | -11% | 2,240 |
| 18 | El Centro | $116,950 | $56.22 | -13% | 70 |
| 19 | Thousand Oaks | $116,770 | $56.14 | -13% | 550 |
| 20 | Carlsbad metro incl. Chula Vista · San Diego | $113,850 | $54.74 | -16% | 2,680 |
| 21 | Los Angeles metro incl. Long Beach · Anaheim | $108,170 | $52.01 | -20% | 9,750 |
| 22 | Redding | $107,980 | $51.91 | -20% | 150 |
| 23 | Yuba City | $106,600 | $51.25 | -21% | 70 |
| 24 | Visalia | $105,210 | $50.58 | -22% | 230 |
| 25 | Paso Robles metro incl. San Luis Obispo | $101,860 | $48.97 | -25% | 190 |
Every metro area in California with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $124,190
Is Chico a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapists in Chico earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $134,970 a year, 31% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chico area, about 2.3 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. That makes the local economy more reliant on Physical Therapists than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist make in Chico, CA?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Chico earns $134,970 a year, or $64.89 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $89,710 and the top 10% earn over $149,110.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Chico?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Chico is $64.89. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $43.13, and the top 10% earn over $71.69 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Chico?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Chico typically offer around $43.13 an hour, or $89,710 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Chico higher than in the rest of California?
- Chico pay is 9% above the California figure of $124,190 a year, ranking 6th of 25 metro areas in the state. Oakland pays the most in California at $141,980.