How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Columbia, MO 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 Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Columbia, Missouri earns $40.06 per hour, or $83,320 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,943 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,120, and the top 10% of earners make over $120,830.
That pay is 16% below the Missouri figure of $99,310 and 19% below the national figure of $102,760. Columbia ranks 8th of 8 metro areas in Missouri for Physical Therapist pay. About 280 Physical Therapists work in the Columbia area.
Physical Therapist pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $40.06 an hour, or $83,320 a year.
- That is 16% below the Missouri figure, ranking 8th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,120; the top 10% make over $120,830.
- Typical pay rose +18% from 2015 to 2025, against +30% for Missouri 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 $35.64 an hour to more than $58.09 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $74,120$35.64 an hour | $76,110$36.59 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $79,890$38.41 an hour | $80,910$38.90 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $83,320$40.06 an hour | $99,310$47.75 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $109,080$52.44 an hour | $109,880$52.83 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $120,830$58.09 an hour | $124,530$59.87 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbia area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Columbia 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 $70,900 a year. By 2025 it had reached $83,320, a change of +18%, compared with +30% for Missouri over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other Missouri cities
Kansas City pays Physical Therapists the most in Missouri at $101,270 a year, $17,950 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Columbia at $83,320.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | $101,270 | $48.69 | +22% | 2,010 |
| 2 | St. Louis | $100,600 | $48.37 | +21% | 2,480 |
| 3 | Cape Girardeau | $100,420 | $48.28 | +21% | 100 |
| 4 | Joplin | $100,150 | $48.15 | +20% | 130 |
| 5 | St. Joseph | $99,310 | $47.75 | +19% | 90 |
| 6 | Jefferson City | $98,070 | $47.15 | +18% | 90 |
| 7 | Springfield | $97,270 | $46.77 | +17% | 410 |
| 8 | Columbia | $83,320 | $40.06 | this city | 280 |
Every metro area in Missouri with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Missouri typical pay $99,310
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapists in Columbia earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $83,320 a year, 19% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 2.6 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. That makes the local economy more reliant on Physical Therapists than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist make in Columbia, MO?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Columbia earns $83,320 a year, or $40.06 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $74,120 and the top 10% earn over $120,830.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Columbia is $40.06. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $35.64, and the top 10% earn over $58.09 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Columbia?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Columbia typically offer around $35.64 an hour, or $74,120 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- Columbia pay is 16% below the Missouri figure of $99,310 a year, ranking 8th of 8 metro areas in the state. Kansas City pays the most in Missouri at $101,270.