How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Rockford, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in Rockford, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Rockford metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Rockford, Illinois earns $48.72 per hour, or $101,340 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,445 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,950, and the top 10% of earners make over $127,810.
That pay is 4% below the Illinois figure of $105,250 and 1% below the national figure of $102,760. Rockford ranks 4th of 9 metro areas in Illinois for Physical Therapist pay. About 190 Physical Therapists work in the Rockford area.
Physical Therapist pay in Rockford at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.72 an hour, or $101,340 a year.
- That is 4% below the Illinois figure, ranking 4th of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,950; the top 10% make over $127,810.
- Typical pay rose +27% from 2015 to 2025, against +22% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Rockford?
Pay in Rockford runs from entry-level positions at around $36.52 an hour to more than $61.45 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Rockford
| Career stage | Rockford | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $75,950$36.52 an hour | $83,000$39.90 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $99,980$48.07 an hour | $95,940$46.13 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $101,340$48.72 an hour | $105,250$50.60 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $123,260$59.26 an hour | $122,920$59.10 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $127,810$61.45 an hour | $140,410$67.51 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Rockford area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Rockford
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Rockford area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Rockford was $79,850 a year. By 2025 it had reached $101,340, a change of +27%, compared with +22% for Illinois over the same years.
How Rockford compares with other Illinois cities
Decatur pays Physical Therapists the most in Illinois at $125,600 a year, $24,260 more than Rockford. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bloomington at $97,250.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Rockford | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decatur | $125,600 | $60.39 | +24% | 40 |
| 2 | Springfield | $115,990 | $55.76 | +14% | 150 |
| 3 | Chicago | $105,720 | $50.83 | +4% | 7,880 |
| 4 | Rockford | $101,340 | $48.72 | this city | 190 |
| 5 | Kankakee | $99,770 | $47.97 | -2% | 60 |
| 6 | Rock Island metro incl. Moline | $99,410 | $47.80 | -2% | 280 |
| 7 | Peoria | $98,860 | $47.53 | -2% | 300 |
| 8 | Urbana metro incl. Champaign | $97,840 | $47.04 | -3% | 140 |
| 9 | Bloomington | $97,250 | $46.76 | -4% | 100 |
Every metro area in Illinois with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $105,250
Is Rockford a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapist pay in Rockford sits close to the national figure: $101,340 a year, 1% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Rockford area, about 1.4 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. That makes Physical Therapists a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist make in Rockford, IL?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Rockford earns $101,340 a year, or $48.72 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $75,950 and the top 10% earn over $127,810.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Rockford?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Rockford is $48.72. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $36.52, and the top 10% earn over $61.45 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Rockford?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Rockford typically offer around $36.52 an hour, or $75,950 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Rockford higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Rockford pay is 4% below the Illinois figure of $105,250 a year, ranking 4th of 9 metro areas in the state. Decatur pays the most in Illinois at $125,600.