How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Delaware in 2026?

A typical Physical Therapist in Delaware earns about $49.06 per hour, which works out to roughly $102,050 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay runs close to $8,504 a month and $1,962 a week. That places pay for the profession solidly among the state's higher-paying healthcare roles.

Compared with the national figure of $102,760 a year ($49.40 an hour), Delaware runs about 1% lower, a modest gap according to the same wage data. That places Delaware 16th among the 51 states and jurisdictions tracked for this occupation. About 1,260 Physical Therapists work in Delaware, a small enough workforce that a handful of hires can shift local figures from year to year.

Entry-level positions for Physical Therapists in Delaware typically offer around $38.43 an hour, or about $79,930 a year, for those just starting out. That is well below the state's typical pay of $49.06 an hour. Most Physical Therapists see pay move up toward that typical figure within their first several years on the job, as clinical experience and caseload responsibility grow.

Experienced Physical Therapists in Delaware often earn upwards of $65.55 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $136,350 a year. That leaves a spread of $56,420 between entry-level and top pay in the state. Setting, years of experience, and city all play a role, with hospital and specialty clinic roles in Wilmington generally paying more than smaller outpatient practices elsewhere.

Physical Therapist pay in Delaware has risen steadily over the past decade, climbing from $81,240 in 2015 to $102,050 in 2025. That is a gain of $20,810, or 26%, over ten years. The increase was not perfectly smooth; pay dipped slightly between 2021 and 2022 before continuing upward through 2023 and 2024.

Nationally, Physical Therapist pay rose 22% over the same ten years, so Delaware's climb outpaced the national trend by a few points. For someone starting out now, that history shows pay in this field has moved up over time, though no future increase is guaranteed. Current figures reflect where pay stands today, not where it will land next year.

Pay runs highest in the Wilmington metro area, where Physical Therapists earn $105,790 a year ($50.86 an hour), about 4% above the state figure. Wilmington is also home to the largest Physical Therapist workforce in Delaware, with about 6,250 workers in the occupation. Dover, the state capital, pays somewhat less by comparison.

Dover, the lower-paying of the two major metro areas tracked, sees Physical Therapists earn about $98,260 a year, or $47.24 an hour. That is a spread of $7,530 between the highest- and lowest-paying areas in the state, a narrower gap than in many larger states. Both figures cover full metro areas rather than city limits alone, and part of the difference likely reflects the lower cost of living around Dover compared with Wilmington.

Delaware's typical Physical Therapist pay sits below two of its three neighbors. New Jersey pays about $112,140 a year, roughly 10% higher, and Maryland pays about $106,890, about 5% higher. Pennsylvania is close to even, at $101,380, about 1% lower than Delaware. For a Physical Therapist weighing a move, a license held in Delaware can often be endorsed into a neighboring state, though each state's board sets its own requirements.

Physical Therapist pay in Delaware typically runs about $102,050 a year ($49.06 an hour), a figure that has climbed 26% over the past decade. Pay is highest around Wilmington and somewhat lower around Dover, with entry-level roles starting well below the top 10% of earners. Readers considering this career in Delaware can check the state licensing board for requirements and review individual city pages for local pay figures before making a decision.