How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Knoxville, TN in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in Knoxville, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Tennessee.
BLS OES May 2025 · Knoxville metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Knoxville, Tennessee earns $46.21 per hour, or $96,110 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,009 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,850, and the top 10% of earners make over $124,190.
That pay is 4% below the Tennessee figure of $100,140 and 6% below the national figure of $102,760. Knoxville ranks 9th of 10 metro areas in Tennessee for Physical Therapist pay. About 590 Physical Therapists work in the Knoxville area.
Physical Therapist pay in Knoxville at a glance
- Typical pay is $46.21 an hour, or $96,110 a year.
- That is 4% below the Tennessee figure, ranking 9th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,850; the top 10% make over $124,190.
- Typical pay rose +20% from 2015 to 2025, against +18% for Tennessee as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Knoxville?
Pay in Knoxville runs from entry-level positions at around $31.18 an hour to more than $59.71 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Tennessee and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Knoxville
| Career stage | Knoxville | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $64,850$31.18 an hour | $67,280$32.35 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $75,950$36.52 an hour | $80,930$38.91 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $96,110$46.21 an hour | $100,140$48.15 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $101,510$48.80 an hour | $111,140$53.43 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $124,190$59.71 an hour | $127,500$61.30 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Knoxville area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Knoxville
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Knoxville area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Knoxville was $80,170 a year. By 2025 it had reached $96,110, a change of +20%, compared with +18% for Tennessee over the same years.
How Knoxville compares with other Tennessee cities
Franklin pays Physical Therapists the most in Tennessee at $103,380 a year, $7,270 more than Knoxville. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cleveland at $79,230.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Knoxville | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin | $103,380 | $49.70 | +8% | 1,400 |
| 2 | Memphis | $100,000 | $48.08 | +4% | 800 |
| 3 | Chattanooga | $99,120 | $47.65 | +3% | 520 |
| 4 | Kingsport metro incl. Bristol | $98,690 | $47.45 | +3% | 230 |
| 5 | Clarksville | $97,810 | $47.02 | +2% | 130 |
| 6 | Morristown | $97,150 | $46.71 | +1% | 80 |
| 7 | Johnson City | $96,660 | $46.47 | +1% | 180 |
| 8 | Jackson | $96,610 | $46.45 | +1% | 140 |
| 9 | Knoxville | $96,110 | $46.21 | this city | 590 |
| 10 | Cleveland | $79,230 | $38.09 | -18% | 80 |
Every metro area in Tennessee with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Tennessee typical pay $100,140
Is Knoxville a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapists in Knoxville earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $96,110 a year, 6% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Knoxville area, about 1.4 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. That makes Physical Therapists a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist make in Knoxville, TN?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Knoxville earns $96,110 a year, or $46.21 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $64,850 and the top 10% earn over $124,190.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Knoxville?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Knoxville is $46.21. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.18, and the top 10% earn over $59.71 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Knoxville?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Knoxville typically offer around $31.18 an hour, or $64,850 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Knoxville higher than in the rest of Tennessee?
- Knoxville pay is 4% below the Tennessee figure of $100,140 a year, ranking 9th of 10 metro areas in the state. Franklin pays the most in Tennessee at $103,380.