How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in New Orleans, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in New Orleans, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Louisiana.
BLS OES May 2025 · New Orleans · Metairie metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in New Orleans, Louisiana earns $48.33 per hour, or $100,530 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,378 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $60,150, and the top 10% of earners make over $123,900.
That pay is 2% above the Louisiana figure of $98,530 and 2% below the national figure of $102,760. New Orleans ranks 3rd of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for Physical Therapist pay. About 710 Physical Therapists work in the New Orleans · Metairie area. New Orleans is part of the New Orleans · Metairie metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Metairie share these figures.
Physical Therapist pay in New Orleans at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.33 an hour, or $100,530 a year.
- That is 2% above the Louisiana figure, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $60,150; the top 10% make over $123,900.
- Typical pay rose +31% from 2015 to 2025, against +25% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in New Orleans?
Pay in New Orleans runs from entry-level positions at around $28.92 an hour to more than $59.57 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in New Orleans
| Career stage | New Orleans | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $60,150$28.92 an hour | $60,150$28.92 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $80,650$38.77 an hour | $77,740$37.38 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $100,530$48.33 an hour | $98,530$47.37 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $107,940$51.89 an hour | $109,650$52.72 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $123,900$59.57 an hour | $127,640$61.37 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the New Orleans · Metairie area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in New Orleans
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the New Orleans · Metairie area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in New Orleans was $76,490 a year. By 2025 it had reached $100,530, a change of +31%, compared with +25% for Louisiana over the same years.
How New Orleans compares with other Louisiana cities
Alexandria pays Physical Therapists the most in Louisiana at $103,380 a year, $2,850 more than New Orleans. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bayou Cane at $78,320.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs New Orleans | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandria | $103,380 | $49.70 | +3% | 160 |
| 2 | Covington metro incl. Slidell · Mandeville | $101,980 | $49.03 | +1% | 230 |
| 3 | New Orleans metro incl. Metairie | $100,530 | $48.33 | this city | 710 |
| 4 | Bossier City metro incl. Shreveport | $100,230 | $48.19 | 0% | 280 |
| 5 | Hammond | $98,930 | $47.56 | -2% | 130 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | $98,920 | $47.56 | -2% | 590 |
| 7 | Monroe | $96,140 | $46.22 | -4% | 170 |
| 8 | Lake Charles | $88,900 | $42.74 | -12% | 140 |
| 9 | Lafayette | $84,340 | $40.55 | -16% | 290 |
| 10 | Houma metro incl. Thibodaux · Bayou Cane | $78,320 | $37.65 | -22% | 180 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $98,530
Is New Orleans a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapist pay in New Orleans sits close to the national figure: $100,530 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the New Orleans · Metairie 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 New Orleans, LA?
- A typical Physical Therapist in New Orleans earns $100,530 a year, or $48.33 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $60,150 and the top 10% earn over $123,900.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in New Orleans?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in New Orleans is $48.33. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $28.92, and the top 10% earn over $59.57 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in New Orleans?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in New Orleans typically offer around $28.92 an hour, or $60,150 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in New Orleans higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- New Orleans pay is 2% above the Louisiana figure of $98,530 a year, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state. Alexandria pays the most in Louisiana at $103,380.