How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Raleigh, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in Raleigh, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Raleigh · Cary metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Raleigh, North Carolina earns $48.03 per hour, or $99,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,325 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,490, and the top 10% of earners make over $127,530.
That pay is right at the North Carolina figure of $99,910 and 3% below the national figure of $102,760. Raleigh ranks 9th of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Physical Therapist pay. About 1,190 Physical Therapists work in the Raleigh · Cary area. Raleigh is part of the Raleigh · Cary metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Cary share these figures.
Physical Therapist pay in Raleigh at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.03 an hour, or $99,900 a year.
- That is right at the North Carolina figure, ranking 9th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $78,490; the top 10% make over $127,530.
- Typical pay rose +32% from 2015 to 2025, against +24% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Raleigh?
Pay in Raleigh runs from entry-level positions at around $37.74 an hour to more than $61.31 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Raleigh
| Career stage | Raleigh | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $78,490$37.74 an hour | $78,020$37.51 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $85,320$41.02 an hour | $84,080$40.42 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $99,900$48.03 an hour | $99,910$48.03 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $110,740$53.24 an hour | $110,330$53.04 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $127,530$61.31 an hour | $125,940$60.55 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Raleigh · Cary area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Raleigh
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Raleigh · Cary area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Raleigh was $75,740 a year. By 2025 it had reached $99,900, a change of +32%, compared with +24% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Raleigh compares with other North Carolina cities
Rocky Mount pays Physical Therapists the most in North Carolina at $103,030 a year, $3,130 more than Raleigh. The lowest-paying area in the state is Goldsboro at $89,210.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Raleigh | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocky Mount | $103,030 | $49.54 | +3% | 80 |
| 2 | Hickory | $101,950 | $49.01 | +2% | 160 |
| 3 | Winston metro incl. Salem | $101,270 | $48.69 | +1% | 510 |
| 4 | Burlington | $101,120 | $48.62 | +1% | 100 |
| 5 | Charlotte | $101,060 | $48.59 | +1% | 1,680 |
| 6 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $100,840 | $48.48 | +1% | 1,470 |
| 7 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $100,240 | $48.19 | 0% | 790 |
| 8 | Fayetteville | $100,120 | $48.13 | 0% | 220 |
| 9 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $99,900 | $48.03 | this city | 1,190 |
| 10 | Asheville | $99,480 | $47.83 | 0% | 300 |
| 11 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $99,320 | $47.75 | -1% | 540 |
| 12 | Wilmington | $98,770 | $47.49 | -1% | 460 |
| 13 | Greenville | $98,020 | $47.12 | -2% | 190 |
| 14 | Jacksonville | $95,190 | $45.76 | -5% | 80 |
| 15 | Southern Pines metro incl. Pinehurst | $94,400 | $45.39 | -6% | 100 |
| 16 | Goldsboro | $89,210 | $42.89 | -11% | 50 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $99,910
Is Raleigh a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapist pay in Raleigh sits close to the national figure: $99,900 a year, 3% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Raleigh · Cary 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 Raleigh, NC?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Raleigh earns $99,900 a year, or $48.03 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $78,490 and the top 10% earn over $127,530.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Raleigh?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Raleigh is $48.03. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $37.74, and the top 10% earn over $61.31 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Raleigh?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Raleigh typically offer around $37.74 an hour, or $78,490 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Raleigh higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Raleigh pay is right at the North Carolina figure of $99,910 a year, ranking 9th of 16 metro areas in the state. Rocky Mount pays the most in North Carolina at $103,030.