Physical Therapists salary in Wilmington, NC
Median pay for physical therapists in Wilmington, NC: $88,510/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $72,560 – $112,900 · about 290 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($98,205) by −$9,695 (-10%).
What it's really worth in Wilmington
With Wilmington's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $88,510 has the buying power of about $92,737 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $68,845 · median home $446,210 · median rent $1,708/mo.
How Wilmington ranks for this job
On raw pay, Wilmington, NC is 169th of the 186 metros we hold physical therapists wages for. Once Wilmington's cost of living is applied, it ranks 167th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Wilmington sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Wilmington
A median home in Wilmington, NC costs $446,210 — about 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 $1,708/mo works out at 23% 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 Wilmington.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Wilmington | Rent vs Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, CA | $132,870 | +50% | 1.5× |
| San Jose, CA | $131,930 | +49% | 2.1× |
| Sacramento, CA | $131,760 | +49% | 1.3× |
| San Francisco, CA | $131,050 | +48% | 1.9× |
Same job elsewhere in NC
| Metro | Median pay | vs Wilmington | Rent vs Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | $100,880 | +14% | 0.9× |
| Hickory, NC | $99,100 | +12% | 0.9× |
| Greensboro, NC | $98,050 | +11% | 0.8× |
| Charlotte, NC | $96,780 | +9% | 1× |
Staying in NC keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires physical therapists around Wilmington
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center · Healthcare
- Thermo Fisher Scientific/PPD · Healthcare
Other jobs in Wilmington
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.