Physical Therapists salary in Bakersfield, CA
Median pay for physical therapists in Bakersfield, CA: $106,830/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $71,450 – $141,020 · about 310 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($98,205) by +$8,625 (+9%).
What it's really worth in Bakersfield
With Bakersfield's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $106,830 has the buying power of about $104,337 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $63,883 · median home $364,264 · median rent $1,788/mo.
How Bakersfield ranks for this job
On raw pay, Bakersfield, CA is 20th of the 186 metros we hold physical therapists wages for. Once Bakersfield's cost of living is applied, it ranks 74th.
The headline number flatters Bakersfield. 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 Bakersfield
A median home in Bakersfield, CA costs $364,264 — about 3.4× 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 $1,788/mo works out at 20% 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 Bakersfield.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Bakersfield | Rent vs Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +24% | 1.5× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +23% | 2× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +23% | 1.3× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +23% | 1.8× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Bakersfield | Rent vs Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +24% | 1.5× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +23% | 2× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +23% | 1.3× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +23% | 1.8× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physical therapists around Bakersfield
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Kern Medical · Healthcare
- Bakersfield City School District · Education
- Adventist Health Bakersfield · Healthcare
- California State University Bakersfield · Education
- Bakersfield College · Education
Other jobs in Bakersfield
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.