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

A typical Physical Therapist in Missouri earns about $47.75 per hour ($99,310 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $8,276 a month or $1,910 a week. Those figures represent the middle of the pay range for the state's Physical Therapists.

Missouri pay sits 3% below the national figure of $102,760 a year, or $49.40 an hour, for Physical Therapists, placing the state 38th out of 51 states and territories. Missouri employs about 4,900 Physical Therapists, compared with 267,330 nationwide. Lower pay in Missouri tracks its lower cost of living relative to higher-paying states.

Entry-level Physical Therapists in Missouri typically start around $36.59 an hour ($76,110 a year), according to May 2025 data. Pay generally moves toward the state's typical figure of $99,310 a year within the first few years on the job. New graduates in hospital or outpatient settings often start near this entry-level range.

Experienced Physical Therapists in Missouri often earn upwards of $59.87 an hour ($124,530 a year), the figure earned by the top 10% of earners. That's a spread of $48,420 between entry-level and top pay. Setting, years of experience, and city all factor into where within that range an individual's pay falls.

Missouri's typical Physical Therapist pay has risen from $76,460 in 2015 to $99,310 in 2025, a gain of $22,850 over the decade. That's a 30% increase. Pay climbed in most years along the way, though it dipped in 2021 to $79,050 before recovering. By 2023, pay had climbed back past $92,000 on its way to the current figure.

Nationally, Physical Therapist pay rose 22% over the same decade, a smaller rise than Missouri's. Missouri's gain outpaced the national increase by eight percentage points. For someone starting a Physical Therapist career in Missouri now, pay has moved up steadily over the past ten years. Past gains do not guarantee future increases, but the decade-long trend has been upward.

Pay runs highest in Kansas City, where Physical Therapists typically earn $101,270 a year ($48.69 an hour), about 2% above the state figure. St. Louis follows closely at $100,600 a year ($48.37 an hour), and Cape Girardeau and Joplin both pay above $100,000 as well. These figures cover each city's full metro area.

Columbia pays the least among Missouri's metro areas, at $83,320 a year ($40.06 an hour), a spread of $17,950 between the highest- and lowest-paying cities. St. Louis employs the most Physical Therapists of any Missouri city, with about 2,480 working there. Pay differences across cities often track local living costs.

Missouri's Physical Therapist pay compares closely with its neighbors. Illinois pays the most nearby at $105,250 (6% above Missouri), followed by Kentucky at $100,710, Tennessee at $100,140, and Arkansas at $99,010, each close to or matching Missouri's figure. Oklahoma ($98,590), Kansas ($98,290), Iowa ($97,560), and Nebraska ($97,090) pay slightly less, each 1-2% below. A Missouri Physical Therapist license can often be transferred or endorsed into a nearby state, though requirements vary.

Physical Therapists in Missouri typically earn $99,310 a year, up 30% over the past decade from $76,460 in 2015. Pay varies by city and experience, with Kansas City topping the list and entry-level positions starting lower. Readers considering this career in Missouri should check the state licensing or registry page for requirements and the city pages for local pay figures before making decisions.