How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Madison, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists in Madison, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Madison metro area
A typical Physical Therapist in Madison, Wisconsin earns $49.43 per hour, or $102,810 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,568 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $80,340, and the top 10% of earners make over $123,220.
That pay is 1% above the Wisconsin figure of $101,840 and right at the national figure of $102,760. Madison ranks 3rd of 14 metro areas in Wisconsin for Physical Therapist pay. About 900 Physical Therapists work in the Madison area.
Physical Therapist pay in Madison at a glance
- Typical pay is $49.43 an hour, or $102,810 a year.
- That is 1% above the Wisconsin figure, ranking 3rd of 14 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $80,340; the top 10% make over $123,220.
- Typical pay rose +31% from 2015 to 2025, against +27% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Madison?
Pay in Madison runs from entry-level positions at around $38.62 an hour to more than $59.24 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 Madison
| Career stage | Madison | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $80,340$38.62 an hour | $80,740$38.82 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $88,780$42.68 an hour | $88,320$42.46 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $102,810$49.43 an hour | $101,840$48.96 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $118,060$56.76 an hour | $114,070$54.84 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $123,220$59.24 an hour | $124,640$59.92 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Madison area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Madison
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Madison area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Madison was $78,210 a year. By 2025 it had reached $102,810, a change of +31%, compared with +27% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Madison compares with other Wisconsin cities
Sheboygan pays Physical Therapists the most in Wisconsin at $104,110 a year, $1,300 more than Madison. The lowest-paying area in the state is La Crosse at $97,550.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Madison | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheboygan | $104,110 | $50.05 | +1% | 130 |
| 2 | Waukesha metro incl. Milwaukee | $103,030 | $49.53 | 0% | 1,710 |
| 3 | Madison | $102,810 | $49.43 | this city | 900 |
| 4 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $102,450 | $49.26 | 0% | 3,360 |
| 5 | Appleton | $101,920 | $49.00 | -1% | 180 |
| 6 | Beloit metro incl. Janesville | $100,830 | $48.48 | -2% | 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 | -3% | 90 |
| 10 | Green Bay | $99,850 | $48.01 | -3% | 340 |
| 11 | Racine metro incl. Mount Pleasant | $99,710 | $47.94 | -3% | 160 |
| 12 | Kenosha | $99,160 | $47.67 | -4% | 190 |
| 13 | Eau Claire | $98,610 | $47.41 | -4% | 170 |
| 14 | Onalaska metro incl. La Crosse | $97,550 | $46.90 | -5% | 200 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $101,840
Is Madison a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapist pay in Madison sits close to the national figure: $102,810 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Madison area, about 2.2 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 Madison, WI?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Madison earns $102,810 a year, or $49.43 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $80,340 and the top 10% earn over $123,220.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Madison?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Madison is $49.43. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $38.62, and the top 10% earn over $59.24 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Madison?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Madison typically offer around $38.62 an hour, or $80,340 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Madison higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Madison pay is 1% above the Wisconsin figure of $101,840 a year, ranking 3rd of 14 metro areas in the state. Sheboygan pays the most in Wisconsin at $104,110.