Physical Therapists salary in Portland, OR
Median pay for physical therapists in Portland, OR: $100,390/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $79,420 – $127,300 · about 1,940 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($98,205) by +$2,185 (+2%).
What it's really worth in Portland
With Portland's cost of living at 107 (US=100), that $100,390 has the buying power of about $94,074 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $90,451 · median home $552,022 · median rent $1,797/mo.
How Portland ranks for this job
On raw pay, Portland, OR is 59th of the 186 metros we hold physical therapists wages for. Once Portland's cost of living is applied, it ranks 160th.
The headline number flatters Portland. 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 Portland
A median home in Portland, OR costs $552,022 — about 5.5× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,797/mo works out at 21% 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 Portland.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Portland | Rent vs Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +32% | 1.5× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +31% | 2× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +31% | 1.3× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +31% | 1.8× |
Same job elsewhere in OR
| Metro | Median pay | vs Portland | Rent vs Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene, OR | $102,440 | +2% | 1× |
| Salem, OR | $94,460 | −6% | 0.9× |
Staying in OR keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physical therapists around Portland
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Providence Health & Services · Healthcare
- OHSU · Education
- Portland Public Schools · Education
Other jobs in Portland
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.