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

A typical Physical Therapist in Mississippi earns about $48.07 per hour ($99,990 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $8,332 a month and $1,923 a week, calculated from the annual figure. Pay varies by employer, setting, and experience, though these numbers represent the broad middle of the field in Mississippi.

That is 3% below the national figure of $102,760, placing Mississippi 32nd out of 51 states and territories on pay for this occupation. About 1,980 Physical Therapists work in the state, a workforce large enough to make these figures reliable. Lower pay in Mississippi tends to track its lower cost of living compared with higher-paying states.

Entry-level positions in Mississippi typically offer around $35.43 an hour, or about $73,700 a year, for Physical Therapists just starting out. That is well below the state's typical pay of $99,990, reflecting lighter caseloads and less responsibility in a first job. Pay tends to climb as new therapists gain experience and take on more complex cases. Within a few years, many reach pay closer to the state's typical figure.

Experienced Physical Therapists in Mississippi often earn upwards of $107,130 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $121,740. That puts the spread between entry-level and top pay at $48,040, one of the widest gaps across a career. Setting, years of experience, and city all push pay toward the higher end, with hospitals and specialty practices often paying more than smaller outpatient clinics.

Mississippi's typical pay for Physical Therapists rose from $89,530 in 2015 to $99,990 in 2025, a gain of $10,460 over the decade. That works out to a 12% rise, though the climb was not steady each year; pay dipped slightly between 2016 and 2018 before recovering. By 2021, pay had passed $95,000, and it has continued upward since, reaching its current figure in 2025.

Nationally, typical pay for Physical Therapists climbed 22% over the same decade, nearly double Mississippi's rate of increase. That gap suggests Mississippi's pay growth has been slower than the country as a whole, even as the dollar figure kept climbing each year. For someone starting a career now, the record shows pay has moved upward over time, though nothing about the past decade guarantees the same pace ahead.

Pay runs highest in Jackson, where Physical Therapists earn about $103,000 a year, roughly 3% above the state figure. Gulfport and Biloxi follow closely, both at $101,870 a year, keeping the Mississippi Gulf Coast competitive with the capital. These figures cover each city's full metro area, not just the city center.

Hattiesburg pays the least among Mississippi's tracked cities, at $97,580 a year, putting the spread between the highest- and lowest-paying cities at $5,420. Jackson also has the largest Physical Therapist workforce in the state, with about 520 professionals employed there. Cities with higher pay typically carry higher living costs, so the gap in take-home value can be smaller than the raw figures suggest.

Mississippi's pay sits close to its neighbors. Tennessee pays about the same, at $100,140 a year, while Arkansas ($99,010) and Louisiana ($98,530) run about 1% lower. Alabama trails furthest among the group at $97,290, roughly 3% below Mississippi. Physical Therapy licenses can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, which makes it practical to compare offers across state lines when weighing a move.

Physical Therapists in Mississippi typically earn $99,990 a year, a figure that has climbed 12% over the past decade. Pay is highest in Jackson and lowest in Hattiesburg, with cost of living explaining much of the difference. Anyone weighing a move or a new license should check the Mississippi State Board of Physical Therapy for licensing requirements and review city pages for local figures.