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Physical Therapist - Federal Salaries of 2021
Pay Rates for "Physical Therapist"
How much does a Physical Therapist in the federal government get paid? $101,556.31* *Based on the 2021 average.Physical Therapist was the 94th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2021, with 2,728 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2021, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Physical Therapist, with an average salary of $101,861.
Government Physical Therapist jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Physical Therapist job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions fall under this job category. Due to the growing focus of them STEM fields, individuals in this job category tend to advance more quickly than employees in the other job categories. Jobs in this category are being added quickly and many organizations have trouble finding qualified individuals. Individuals in this job category typically recieve pormotions of 2 grade increases at a time until they reach GS-12.
Agencies that have hired a Physical Therapist
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration | 2,672 | $101,861.09 |
| Indian Health Service | 43 | $80,935.44 |
| National Institutes of Health | 9 | $110,666.89 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 2 | $76,300.00 |
| 1 | $0.00 | |
| Food and Drug Administration | 1 | $143,606.00 |
Physical Therapist Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Physical Therapist is $101,556.31. The highest paid Physical Therapist made $172,750 in 2021.
Common Physical Therapist Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Physical Therapist Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 2,653 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 71 |
| GL - Gs Employees In Grades 3 Through 10 Paid A Law Enforcement Officer Special Base Rate | 2 |
| EI - Advisory Committee Member (other) | 1 |
| * - Invalid | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $36,070.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $152,771.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10 |
| Category: | Professional and Scientific |
| Occupation Family: | 0600 MEDICAL, HOSPITAL, DENTAL, AND PUBLIC HEALTH GROUP |
Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade
GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Multiseries Position Classification Standard for Therapist jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.
| Occupation | Occupation Category | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Commodity Grading | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Cash Processing | Clerical and Administrative Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Dental Laboratory Aid and Technician | Technical and Medical Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Budget Analysis | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Messenger | Clerical and Administrative Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
Average Physical Therapist Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021
In 2004, the average pay for a Physical Therapist was $62,114. Since then, the average pay has increased to $101,556 in 2021.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 0633.