Physical Therapists salary in Charleston, SC
Median pay for physical therapists in Charleston, SC: $99,050/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $69,380 – $117,900 · about 660 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($98,205) by +$845 (+1%).
What it's really worth in Charleston
With Charleston's cost of living at 101 (US=100), that $99,050 has the buying power of about $97,974 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $77,460 · median home $435,877 · median rent $2,024/mo.
How Charleston ranks for this job
On raw pay, Charleston, SC is 86th of the 186 metros we hold physical therapists wages for. Once Charleston's cost of living is applied, it ranks 140th.
The headline number flatters Charleston. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, physical therapists here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Charleston
A median home in Charleston, SC costs $435,877 — about 4.4× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,024/mo works out at 25% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where physical therapists earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Charleston.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charleston | Rent vs Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +34% | 1.3× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +33% | 1.8× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +33% | 1.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +32% | 1.6× |
Same job elsewhere in SC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Charleston | Rent vs Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, SC | $103,850 | +5% | 0.7× |
| Greenville, SC | $97,680 | −1% | 0.8× |
| Columbia, SC | $96,120 | −3% | 0.8× |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | $92,690 | −6% | 0.9× |
Staying in SC keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physical therapists around Charleston
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) · Healthcare
- Roper St. Francis Healthcare · Healthcare
- Charleston County School District · Education
Other jobs in Charleston
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.