How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Columbia, SC 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 South Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Columbia, South Carolina earns $48.00 per hour, or $99,840 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,320 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,880, and the top 10% of earners make over $118,260.
That pay is 1% below the South Carolina figure of $101,330 and 3% below the national figure of $102,760. Columbia ranks 8th of 10 metro areas in South Carolina for Physical Therapist pay. About 670 Physical Therapists work in the Columbia area.
Physical Therapist pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $48.00 an hour, or $99,840 a year.
- That is 1% below the South Carolina figure, ranking 8th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,880; the top 10% make over $118,260.
- Typical pay rose +38% from 2015 to 2025, against +26% for South Carolina 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 $31.19 an hour to more than $56.86 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the South Carolina and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $64,880$31.19 an hour | $72,810$35.01 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $78,320$37.65 an hour | $81,850$39.35 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $99,840$48.00 an hour | $101,330$48.72 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $108,800$52.31 an hour | $111,860$53.78 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $118,260$56.86 an hour | $123,480$59.37 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 $72,340 a year. By 2025 it had reached $99,840, a change of +38%, compared with +26% for South Carolina over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other South Carolina cities
Spartanburg pays Physical Therapists the most in South Carolina at $111,860 a year, $12,020 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Hilton Head Island at $96,940.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spartanburg | $111,860 | $53.78 | +12% | 350 |
| 2 | Florence | $108,160 | $52.00 | +8% | 110 |
| 3 | Conway metro incl. Myrtle Beach · North Myrtle Beach | $102,480 | $49.27 | +3% | 240 |
| 4 | Charleston metro incl. North Charleston | $101,550 | $48.82 | +2% | 690 |
| 5 | Concord metro incl. Gastonia | $101,060 | $48.59 | +1% | 1,680 |
| 6 | Greer metro incl. Anderson · Greenville | $101,020 | $48.57 | +1% | 940 |
| 7 | Sumter | $100,520 | $48.33 | +1% | 50 |
| 8 | Columbia | $99,840 | $48.00 | this city | 670 |
| 9 | Richmond County | $97,260 | $46.76 | -3% | 330 |
| 10 | Port Royal metro incl. Bluffton · Hilton Head Island | $96,940 | $46.61 | -3% | 130 |
Every metro area in South Carolina with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · South Carolina typical pay $101,330
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapist pay in Columbia sits close to the national figure: $99,840 a year, 3% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 1.7 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 Columbia, SC?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Columbia earns $99,840 a year, or $48.00 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $64,880 and the top 10% earn over $118,260.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Columbia is $48.00. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.19, and the top 10% earn over $56.86 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Columbia?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Columbia typically offer around $31.19 an hour, or $64,880 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of South Carolina?
- Columbia pay is 1% below the South Carolina figure of $101,330 a year, ranking 8th of 10 metro areas in the state. Spartanburg pays the most in South Carolina at $111,860.