Physical Therapists salary in Tucson, AZ
Median pay for physical therapists in Tucson, AZ: $95,890/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $74,200 – $119,310 · about 630 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($98,205) by −$2,315 (-2%).
What it's really worth in Tucson
With Tucson's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $95,890 has the buying power of about $101,009 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $64,323 · median home $343,580 · median rent $1,473/mo.
How Tucson ranks for this job
On raw pay, Tucson, AZ is 132nd of the 186 metros we hold physical therapists wages for. Once Tucson's cost of living is applied, it ranks 108th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Tucson is one of the places where physical therapists gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Tucson
A median home in Tucson, AZ costs $343,580 — about 3.6× 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 $1,473/mo works out at 18% 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 Tucson.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Tucson | Rent vs Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +39% | 1.8× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +38% | 2.5× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +37% | 1.5× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +37% | 2.2× |
Same job elsewhere in AZ
| Metro | Median pay | vs Tucson | Rent vs Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | $99,600 | +4% | 1.2× |
Staying in AZ keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physical therapists around Tucson
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- University of Arizona · Education
- Banner – University Medical Center Tucson · Healthcare
- Tucson Unified School District · Education
Other jobs in Tucson
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.