Physical Therapists salary in Boulder, CO
Median pay for physical therapists in Boulder, CO: $97,110/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $77,320 – $120,780 · about 410 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($98,205) by −$1,095 (-1%).
What it's really worth in Boulder
With Boulder's cost of living at 101 (US=100), that $97,110 has the buying power of about $96,517 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $99,770 · median home $727,954 · median rent $2,257/mo.
How Boulder ranks for this job
On raw pay, Boulder, CO is 111th of the 186 metros we hold physical therapists wages for. Once Boulder's cost of living is applied, it ranks 149th.
The headline number flatters Boulder. 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 Boulder
A median home in Boulder, CO costs $727,954 — about 7.5× 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 $2,257/mo works out at 28% 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 Boulder.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Boulder | Rent vs Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +37% | 1.2× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +36% | 1.6× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +36% | 1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +35% | 1.4× |
Same job elsewhere in CO
| Metro | Median pay | vs Boulder | Rent vs Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | $99,290 | +2% | 0.8× |
| Greeley, CO | $98,480 | +1% | 0.8× |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $96,930 | +0% | 0.8× |
| Fort Collins, CO | $92,420 | −5% | 0.9× |
Staying in CO keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physical therapists around Boulder
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- University of Colorado Boulder · Education
- Medtronic · Healthcare
Other jobs in Boulder
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.