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

A typical Physical Therapist in Nebraska earns about $46.68 per hour ($97,090 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $8,091 a month and $1,867 a week, calculated from the annual figure. Pay varies by employer, setting, and city, but this figure represents typical earnings across the state. It offers a baseline for evaluating job offers or planning a move to Nebraska.

That is 6% below the national figure of $102,760 a year, and Nebraska ranks 47th out of 51 states for Physical Therapist pay. Lower pay in Nebraska tends to track the state's lower cost of living compared with higher-cost coastal states. Around 2,140 Physical Therapists work across the state, a workforce small enough that individual cities can move the numbers noticeably.

Entry-level Physical Therapists in Nebraska typically start around $37.28 an hour ($77,540 a year), according to the same May 2025 data. That is well below the state's typical pay of $46.68 an hour, reflecting the early years of a clinical career. Pay tends to climb steadily as therapists build experience, take on more complex caseloads, or move into specialized settings. Most reach the state's typical figure within several years of steady practice.

Experienced Physical Therapists in Nebraska often earn upwards of $51.68 an hour ($107,490 a year), and the top 10% of earners make over $57.79 an hour ($120,190 a year). The gap between entry-level and top pay runs $42,650 a year, one of the wider spreads in the profession. Setting, experience, and city all play a role: therapists in hospitals or larger cities like Lincoln and Omaha tend to land at the higher end.

Nebraska's typical Physical Therapist pay has risen from $73,540 in 2015 to $97,090 in 2025, a gain of $23,550. That is a 32% increase over the decade, with most of the rise coming steadily rather than in a single jump. Pay dipped slightly in 2018 and again in 2021 before climbing through 2022 to 2025. The trend reflects a decade of mostly consistent year-over-year gains.

Nationally, Physical Therapist pay rose 22% over the same decade, so Nebraska's gain outpaced the country as a whole. Pay in the state has moved up steadily for ten straight years, though future increases are not guaranteed. Someone starting a career in Nebraska today is entering a profession that has consistently paid more each year than the one before it.

Pay runs highest in Lincoln, where Physical Therapists typically earn $99,780 a year, about 3% above the state figure. Omaha, the state's largest metro area for the profession, pays a close $99,630 a year. Both cities cover their full metro areas, not just city limits, and together account for most of the state's Physical Therapist jobs.

Grand Island pays the least among the state's reported cities, with typical pay of $87,080 a year, a spread of $12,700 from the top-paying city. Omaha employs the most Physical Therapists of any Nebraska city, with 1,120 workers, even though its pay sits slightly below Lincoln's. Smaller cities and rural areas generally have a lower cost of living, which tends to offset some of the pay difference.

Among Nebraska's neighbors, Colorado pays the most, with typical Physical Therapist pay of $102,030 a year, about 5% higher than Nebraska. South Dakota pays the least, at $92,660 a year, about 5% lower. Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming all land close to Nebraska's figure, within a few percentage points either way. Physical therapy licenses can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, which makes comparing regional pay useful when weighing a move.

Physical Therapists in Nebraska typically earn $97,090 a year ($46.68 an hour), pay that has climbed 32% over the past decade. That puts Nebraska below the national figure but still reflects steady, consistent growth for the profession. Readers weighing a move or a new license should check Nebraska's state licensing board for requirements and review city-level pages for Lincoln, Omaha, and Grand Island to compare local figures before deciding where to work.