Where therapists actually earn the most
Median pay for PTs, OTs, and SLPs in every state — as the sticker number, as take-home after state income tax, and as real value once cost of living comes out. The highest-paying state on paper is rarely the one where the pay goes furthest.
State medians are a wide lens. To see where your own pay sits, the salary comparison tool narrows it to your metro, setting, and years of experience, and shows what clinicians in your area report earning.
After-tax pay adjusted for cost of living. Stacks state tax and local prices.
Alaska
#1 of 51 · Real value- BLS reported median
- $115,280
- State income tax
- none
- After-tax
- $115,280
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 102.4
- Real value
- $112,623
Full rankings
Every state ranked by real value. Switch professions below.
Physical therapists
| # | State | Nominal | Take-home | Real value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $115,280 | $115,280 | $112,623 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $106,880 | $102,974 | $111,671 |
| 3 | Nevada | $111,250 | $111,250 | $111,273 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $99,990 | $96,722 | $111,235 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $99,010 | $95,361 | $109,690 |
| 6 | Texas | $105,810 | $105,810 | $109,018 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $100,140 | $100,140 | $109,002 |
| 8 | Ohio | $103,050 | $100,999 | $108,865 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $98,530 | $95,960 | $108,790 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $100,400 | $100,400 | $108,317 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $100,710 | $97,303 | $107,924 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $98,590 | $94,699 | $107,805 |
| 13 | Iowa | $97,560 | $94,505 | $107,683 |
| 14 | Indiana | $101,560 | $98,593 | $105,641 |
| 15 | California | $124,190 | $116,870 | $105,554 |
| 16 | Missouri | $99,310 | $95,580 | $105,244 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $92,660 | $92,660 | $104,599 |
| 18 | Alabama | $97,290 | $92,691 | $104,354 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $101,840 | $97,823 | $103,962 |
| 20 | Kansas | $98,290 | $93,605 | $103,927 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $97,090 | $93,552 | $103,828 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $96,600 | $92,879 | $103,779 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $101,330 | $96,407 | $102,836 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $99,910 | $96,432 | $102,233 |
| 25 | Georgia | $102,700 | $97,993 | $101,765 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $101,380 | $98,268 | $100,713 |
| 27 | Michigan | $100,900 | $96,863 | $100,671 |
| 28 | Illinois | $105,250 | $100,185 | $100,227 |
| 29 | Arizona | $103,220 | $100,848 | $100,170 |
| 30 | Idaho | $99,000 | $94,861 | $99,337 |
| 31 | Washington | $105,950 | $105,950 | $99,007 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $112,140 | $107,185 | $98,511 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $102,010 | $96,597 | $97,947 |
| 34 | Florida | $101,040 | $101,040 | $97,704 |
| 35 | Maryland | $106,890 | $102,176 | $97,348 |
| 36 | Maine | $99,720 | $94,086 | $96,946 |
| 37 | Delaware | $102,050 | $96,656 | $96,842 |
| 38 | Utah | $99,880 | $95,385 | $96,481 |
| 39 | Vermont | $97,970 | $93,964 | $95,923 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $104,360 | $99,348 | $95,887 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $99,850 | $99,850 | $95,858 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $85,330 | $84,925 | $95,466 |
| 43 | Virginia | $101,450 | $96,431 | $95,378 |
| 44 | Colorado | $102,030 | $98,249 | $95,339 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | $99,400 | $96,280 | $94,134 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | $103,790 | $98,821 | $93,441 |
| 47 | Montana | $91,450 | $87,644 | $92,603 |
| 48 | Oregon | $103,510 | $95,283 | $92,184 |
| 49 | New York | $100,660 | $95,761 | $88,733 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $101,640 | $95,969 | $87,323 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $101,700 | $95,501 | $86,858 |
Ranked by real value (take-home pay adjusted for cost of living). Nominal = BLS median annual wage.
Occupational therapists
| # | State | Nominal | Take-home | Real value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | $106,360 | $102,425 | $117,815 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $104,300 | $100,152 | $114,013 |
| 3 | Nevada | $110,520 | $110,520 | $110,543 |
| 4 | Texas | $106,140 | $106,140 | $109,358 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $98,490 | $95,922 | $108,746 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $97,700 | $97,700 | $106,346 |
| 7 | California | $124,510 | $117,160 | $105,817 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $94,930 | $91,865 | $105,649 |
| 9 | Ohio | $99,390 | $97,439 | $105,029 |
| 10 | Kansas | $99,170 | $94,436 | $104,850 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $97,650 | $94,350 | $104,648 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $99,170 | $95,642 | $103,719 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $96,190 | $92,489 | $103,343 |
| 14 | Missouri | $97,290 | $93,655 | $103,125 |
| 15 | Georgia | $104,010 | $99,235 | $103,055 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $101,130 | $96,219 | $102,635 |
| 17 | Alaska | $103,680 | $103,680 | $101,291 |
| 18 | Indiana | $97,020 | $94,187 | $100,920 |
| 19 | Alabama | $94,050 | $89,613 | $100,889 |
| 20 | Washington | $107,670 | $107,670 | $100,614 |
| 21 | Arizona | $103,660 | $101,277 | $100,596 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $93,740 | $90,354 | $100,279 |
| 23 | Oregon | $112,310 | $103,313 | $99,953 |
| 24 | Colorado | $106,720 | $102,733 | $99,690 |
| 25 | Iowa | $89,910 | $87,145 | $99,297 |
| 26 | Idaho | $97,760 | $93,687 | $98,108 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $98,440 | $95,418 | $97,792 |
| 28 | Maryland | $106,980 | $102,261 | $97,429 |
| 29 | Delaware | $102,130 | $96,730 | $96,917 |
| 30 | Florida | $99,360 | $99,360 | $96,080 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $85,050 | $85,050 | $96,008 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $92,940 | $89,740 | $95,139 |
| 33 | Illinois | $99,700 | $94,910 | $94,950 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $100,040 | $96,890 | $94,730 |
| 35 | Virginia | $100,710 | $95,733 | $94,688 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $92,390 | $88,874 | $94,451 |
| 37 | Connecticut | $102,440 | $97,544 | $94,145 |
| 38 | Utah | $97,150 | $92,778 | $93,844 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $109,170 | $102,859 | $93,592 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $83,200 | $82,837 | $93,118 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $86,170 | $86,170 | $92,965 |
| 42 | Vermont | $93,340 | $89,640 | $91,508 |
| 43 | New Jersey | $103,410 | $99,011 | $90,999 |
| 44 | Massachusetts | $100,930 | $96,104 | $90,872 |
| 45 | Montana | $88,990 | $85,323 | $90,151 |
| 46 | Michigan | $89,910 | $86,340 | $89,734 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $93,050 | $88,246 | $89,480 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $102,870 | $96,582 | $87,841 |
| 49 | New York | $96,390 | $91,743 | $85,010 |
| 50 | Maine | $84,310 | $79,778 | $82,202 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $83,900 | $83,900 | $80,545 |
Ranked by real value (take-home pay adjusted for cost of living). Nominal = BLS median annual wage.
Speech-language pathologists
| # | State | Nominal | Take-home | Real value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $104,510 | $104,510 | $104,532 |
| 2 | Colorado | $110,750 | $106,585 | $103,429 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $98,690 | $95,185 | $103,224 |
| 4 | Texas | $99,910 | $99,910 | $102,940 |
| 5 | California | $118,970 | $112,135 | $101,278 |
| 6 | Alaska | $102,670 | $102,670 | $100,304 |
| 7 | Ohio | $93,300 | $91,517 | $98,645 |
| 8 | Washington | $105,550 | $105,550 | $98,633 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $104,000 | $100,662 | $98,418 |
| 10 | Delaware | $102,760 | $97,319 | $97,506 |
| 11 | Florida | $99,990 | $99,990 | $96,689 |
| 12 | Georgia | $96,760 | $92,361 | $95,917 |
| 13 | Arizona | $97,800 | $95,564 | $94,921 |
| 14 | Missouri | $89,280 | $86,021 | $94,719 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $109,380 | $103,051 | $93,767 |
| 16 | Arkansas | $83,580 | $80,533 | $92,634 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | $84,470 | $81,214 | $92,454 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $92,960 | $90,106 | $92,348 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $84,630 | $84,630 | $92,119 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $100,110 | $95,353 | $92,031 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $90,530 | $86,255 | $92,007 |
| 22 | Oregon | $102,660 | $94,507 | $91,434 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $101,310 | $96,465 | $91,213 |
| 24 | Indiana | $87,360 | $84,812 | $90,875 |
| 25 | Illinois | $95,080 | $90,518 | $90,556 |
| 26 | Virginia | $96,250 | $91,530 | $90,530 |
| 27 | Maryland | $99,190 | $94,842 | $90,361 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $84,350 | $81,392 | $90,332 |
| 29 | Iowa | $81,050 | $78,622 | $89,585 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $83,550 | $80,743 | $89,557 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $101,560 | $97,279 | $89,407 |
| 32 | Michigan | $89,120 | $85,583 | $88,948 |
| 33 | New York | $100,610 | $95,714 | $88,689 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $86,460 | $83,519 | $88,543 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $82,040 | $82,040 | $88,509 |
| 36 | Utah | $91,560 | $87,440 | $88,445 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $80,970 | $78,002 | $87,156 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $78,130 | $75,737 | $87,101 |
| 39 | Minnesota | $89,380 | $84,826 | $86,012 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $83,000 | $79,982 | $85,001 |
| 41 | Kansas | $80,120 | $76,449 | $84,879 |
| 42 | Idaho | $84,380 | $81,016 | $84,839 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $75,240 | $75,032 | $84,345 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $97,560 | $91,676 | $83,379 |
| 45 | Vermont | $82,090 | $79,132 | $80,782 |
| 46 | Maine | $82,660 | $78,245 | $80,624 |
| 47 | Montana | $78,740 | $75,652 | $79,932 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $83,040 | $83,040 | $79,720 |
| 49 | Alabama | $73,660 | $70,242 | $79,081 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $69,610 | $67,908 | $76,987 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $65,680 | $65,680 | $74,143 |
Ranked by real value (take-home pay adjusted for cost of living). Nominal = BLS median annual wage.
How this is calculated
Nominal pay is the median annual wage from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (May 2025 release), for each profession in each state.
Take-homesubtracts modeled state income tax for a single filer taking the standard deduction, at that state's median wage, using Tax Foundation brackets as of January 1, 2026. It does not include federal income tax or FICA (those don't vary by state, so they don't change the ranking), and it excludes local (city or county) income taxes.
Real valuedivides take-home by each state's cost of living, using the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024), where the US average is 100. Cost of living already captures sales tax and, through rents, some property tax; income tax is separate, which is why it's applied on its own.
Honest limits: figures are for a single filer and won't match married-filing-jointly households; local income taxes (for example in Maryland, New York, and Ohio) are averaged out at the state grain; and cost of living is a statewide figure, so a specific metro can run higher or lower. This is a comparison of typical pay, not personalized tax advice.