How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Athens, GA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in Athens, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Georgia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Athens · Clarke County metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Athens, Georgia earns $48.83 per hour, or $101,570 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,464 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,340, and the top 10% of earners make over $129,970.
That pay is 1% below the Georgia figure of $102,700 and 1% below the national figure of $102,760. Athens ranks 6th of 13 metro areas in Georgia for Physical Therapist pay. About 150 Physical Therapists work in the Athens · Clarke County area. Athens is part of the Athens · Clarke County metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Clarke County share these figures.
Physical Therapist pay in Athens at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.83 an hour, or $101,570 a year.
- That is 1% below the Georgia figure, ranking 6th of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,340; the top 10% make over $129,970.
- Typical pay rose +24% from 2015 to 2025, against +27% for Georgia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Athens?
Pay in Athens runs from entry-level positions at around $36.22 an hour to more than $62.48 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Georgia and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Athens
| Career stage | Athens | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $75,340$36.22 an hour | $78,580$37.78 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $81,500$39.18 an hour | $83,770$40.28 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $101,570$48.83 an hour | $102,700$49.38 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $113,300$54.47 an hour | $120,610$57.99 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $129,970$62.48 an hour | $130,630$62.81 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Athens · Clarke County area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Athens
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Athens · Clarke County area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Athens was $82,050 a year. By 2025 it had reached $101,570, a change of +24%, compared with +27% for Georgia over the same years.
How Athens compares with other Georgia cities
Dalton pays Physical Therapists the most in Georgia at $109,710 a year, $8,140 more than Athens. The lowest-paying area in the state is Warner Robins at $85,590.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Athens | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalton | $109,710 | $52.75 | +8% | 50 |
| 2 | Macon metro incl. Bibb County | $104,500 | $50.24 | +3% | 130 |
| 3 | Rome | $103,710 | $49.86 | +2% | 130 |
| 4 | Sandy Springs | $103,440 | $49.73 | +2% | 4,250 |
| 5 | Brunswick metro incl. St. Simons | $103,260 | $49.65 | +2% | 100 |
| 6 | Athens metro incl. Clarke County | $101,570 | $48.83 | this city | 150 |
| 7 | Savannah | $100,920 | $48.52 | -1% | 210 |
| 8 | Columbus | $98,300 | $47.26 | -3% | 200 |
| 9 | Albany | $98,190 | $47.21 | -3% | 60 |
| 10 | Richmond County metro incl. Augusta | $97,260 | $46.76 | -4% | 330 |
| 11 | Valdosta | $97,050 | $46.66 | -4% | 70 |
| 12 | Gainesville | $92,030 | $44.25 | -9% | 90 |
| 13 | Warner Robins | $85,590 | $41.15 | -16% | 90 |
Every metro area in Georgia with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Georgia typical pay $102,700
Is Athens a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapist pay in Athens sits close to the national figure: $101,570 a year, 1% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Athens · Clarke County area, about 1.6 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. Physical Therapist jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist make in Athens, GA?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Athens earns $101,570 a year, or $48.83 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $75,340 and the top 10% earn over $129,970.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Athens?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Athens is $48.83. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $36.22, and the top 10% earn over $62.48 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Athens?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Athens typically offer around $36.22 an hour, or $75,340 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Athens higher than in the rest of Georgia?
- Athens pay is 1% below the Georgia figure of $102,700 a year, ranking 6th of 13 metro areas in the state. Dalton pays the most in Georgia at $109,710.