How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in La Crosse, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in La Crosse, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · La Crosse · Onalaska metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in La Crosse, Wisconsin earns $46.90 per hour, or $97,550 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,129 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $79,520, and the top 10% of earners make over $121,830.
That pay is 4% below the Wisconsin figure of $101,840 and 5% below the national figure of $102,760. La Crosse ranks 14th of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for Physical Therapist pay. About 200 Physical Therapists work in the La Crosse · Onalaska area. La Crosse is part of the La Crosse · Onalaska metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Onalaska share these figures.
Physical Therapist pay in La Crosse at a glance
- Typical pay is $46.90 an hour, or $97,550 a year.
- That is 4% below the Wisconsin figure, ranking 14th of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $79,520; the top 10% make over $121,830.
- Typical pay rose +18% from 2015 to 2025, against +27% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in La Crosse?
Pay in La Crosse runs from entry-level positions at around $38.23 an hour to more than $58.57 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in La Crosse
| Career stage | La Crosse | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $79,520$38.23 an hour | $80,740$38.82 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $81,840$39.35 an hour | $88,320$42.46 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $97,550$46.90 an hour | $101,840$48.96 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $107,110$51.50 an hour | $114,070$54.84 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $121,830$58.57 an hour | $124,640$59.92 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the La Crosse · Onalaska area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in La Crosse
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the La Crosse · Onalaska area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in La Crosse was $82,910 a year. By 2025 it had reached $97,550, a change of +18%, compared with +27% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How La Crosse compares with other Wisconsin cities
Sheboygan pays Physical Therapists the most in Wisconsin at $104,110 a year, $6,560 more than La Crosse. The lowest-paying area in the state is La Crosse at $97,550.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs La Crosse | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheboygan | $104,110 | $50.05 | +7% | 130 |
| 2 | Waukesha metro incl. Milwaukee | $103,030 | $49.53 | +6% | 1,710 |
| 3 | Madison | $102,810 | $49.43 | +5% | 900 |
| 4 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $102,450 | $49.26 | +5% | 3,360 |
| 5 | Appleton | $101,920 | $49.00 | +4% | 180 |
| 6 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $100,830 | $48.48 | +3% | 150 |
| 7 | Fond du Lac | $100,130 | $48.14 | +3% | 60 |
| 8 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $100,050 | $48.10 | +3% | 120 |
| 9 | Wausau | $99,910 | $48.03 | +2% | 90 |
| 10 | Green Bay | $99,850 | $48.01 | +2% | 340 |
| 11 | Racine metro incl. Mount Pleasant | $99,710 | $47.94 | +2% | 160 |
| 12 | Kenosha | $99,160 | $47.67 | +2% | 190 |
| 13 | Eau Claire | $98,610 | $47.41 | +1% | 170 |
| 14 | La Crosse metro incl. Onalaska | $97,550 | $46.90 | this city | 200 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $101,840
Is La Crosse a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapists in La Crosse earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $97,550 a year, 5% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the La Crosse · Onalaska area, about 2.4 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. That makes the local economy more reliant on Physical Therapists than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist make in La Crosse, WI?
- A typical Physical Therapist in La Crosse earns $97,550 a year, or $46.90 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $79,520 and the top 10% earn over $121,830.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in La Crosse?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in La Crosse is $46.90. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $38.23, and the top 10% earn over $58.57 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in La Crosse?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in La Crosse typically offer around $38.23 an hour, or $79,520 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in La Crosse higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- La Crosse pay is 4% below the Wisconsin figure of $101,840 a year, ranking 14th of 14 metro areas in the state. Sheboygan pays the most in Wisconsin at $104,110.