Physical Therapists salary in Salem, OR
Median pay for physical therapists in Salem, OR: $94,460/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $76,310 – $122,520 · about 260 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($98,205) by −$3,745 (-4%).
What it's really worth in Salem
With Salem's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $94,460 has the buying power of about $92,193 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $72,154 · median home $454,689 · median rent $1,628/mo.
How Salem ranks for this job
On raw pay, Salem, OR is 145th of the 186 metros we hold physical therapists wages for. Once Salem's cost of living is applied, it ranks 172nd.
The headline number flatters Salem. 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 Salem
A median home in Salem, OR costs $454,689 — about 4.8× 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 $1,628/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 Salem.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Salem | Rent vs Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +41% | 1.6× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +40% | 2.2× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +39% | 1.4× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +39% | 2× |
Same job elsewhere in OR
| Metro | Median pay | vs Salem | Rent vs Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene, OR | $102,440 | +8% | 1.1× |
| Portland, OR | $100,390 | +6% | 1.1× |
Staying in OR keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physical therapists around Salem
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Salem Health · Healthcare
- Salem Hospital · Healthcare
- Willamette University · Education
Other jobs in Salem
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.