How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Columbia, MD in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in Columbia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Maryland.
BLS OES May 2025 · Baltimore · Columbia · Towson metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Columbia, Maryland earns $50.87 per hour, or $105,810 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,818 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,530, and the top 10% of earners make over $138,630.
That pay is 1% below the Maryland figure of $106,890 and 3% above the national figure of $102,760. Columbia ranks 3rd of 5 metro areas in Maryland for Physical Therapist pay. About 2,050 Physical Therapists work in the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson area. Columbia is part of the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Towson and Baltimore share these figures.
Physical Therapist pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $50.87 an hour, or $105,810 a year.
- That is 1% below the Maryland figure, ranking 3rd of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,530; the top 10% make over $138,630.
- Typical pay rose +22% from 2015 to 2025, against +20% for Maryland as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Columbia?
Pay in Columbia runs from entry-level positions at around $37.75 an hour to more than $66.65 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Maryland and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | Maryland | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $78,530$37.75 an hour | $79,990$38.46 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $94,760$45.56 an hour | $96,880$46.58 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $105,810$50.87 an hour | $106,890$51.39 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $123,400$59.33 an hour | $125,440$60.31 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $138,630$66.65 an hour | $138,630$66.65 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Columbia was $86,660 a year. By 2025 it had reached $105,810, a change of +22%, compared with +20% for Maryland over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other Maryland cities
Lexington Park pays Physical Therapists the most in Maryland at $111,780 a year, $5,970 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Hagerstown at $100,620.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington Park | $111,780 | $53.74 | +6% | 80 |
| 2 | Salisbury | $107,290 | $51.58 | +1% | 100 |
| 3 | Columbia | $105,810 | $50.87 | this city | 2,050 |
| 4 | Alexandria | $102,980 | $49.51 | -3% | 4,540 |
| 5 | Martinsburg metro incl. Hagerstown | $100,620 | $48.38 | -5% | 180 |
Every metro area in Maryland with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Maryland typical pay $106,890
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapist pay in Columbia sits close to the national figure: $105,810 a year, 3% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Baltimore · Columbia · Towson area, about 1.5 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 Columbia, MD?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Columbia earns $105,810 a year, or $50.87 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $78,530 and the top 10% earn over $138,630.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Columbia is $50.87. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.75, and the top 10% earn over $66.65 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Columbia?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Columbia typically offer around $37.75 an hour, or $78,530 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of Maryland?
- Columbia pay is 1% below the Maryland figure of $106,890 a year, ranking 3rd of 5 metro areas in the state. Lexington Park pays the most in Maryland at $111,780.