Physical Therapist Salary in Missouri (2026)
The average Physical Therapist in Missouri earns around $92,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $70,165/year ($5,847/month).
Take-Home Pay Breakdown
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
Annual Take-Home Pay | $70,165 |
Monthly Take-Home Pay | $5,847 |
Biweekly Take-Home Pay | $2,699 |
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year | $34/hr |
Federal Tax | $11,410 |
State Tax | $3,387 |
FICA Taxes | $7,038 |
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary | 23.73% |
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Physical Therapist Salary Ranges in Missouri
Not all Physical Therapists earn the same — not even close
MO physical therapy splits across academic-medical (BJC + WashU + Barnes-Jewish, Children's Mercy Kansas City, MU Health Care Columbia, SSM Cardinal Glennon STL), regional health systems (SSM Health, Mercy Health, Saint Luke's KC, HCA Midwest, Truman Medical Centers), regional outpatient ortho (ATI Physical Therapy, Select Medical, Athletico, Cox PT, Mercy PT), home health (Bayada, Encompass), sports medicine (St. Louis Cardinals MLB, St. Louis Blues NHL, St. Louis City SC MLS, Kansas City Royals MLB, Kansas City Chiefs NFL, Sporting KC MLS, plus Mizzou Athletics + Saint Louis University Athletics + UMKC Athletics), and federal (VA St. Louis, VA KC). University of Missouri DPT (Columbia), Washington University DPT (St. Louis — top-5 US DPT program), Saint Louis University DPT, Maryville University DPT, Missouri State DPT (Springfield), Rockhurst University DPT (Kansas City) produce the in-state pipeline. PT Compact (since 2018, MO member) for interstate practice mobility.
Outpatient Orthopedic PT
$78,000-$95,000
ATI / Select / Athletico / Cox PT / Mercy PT / private · 2-7 yr post-DPT
Acute Care PT (BJC / WashU)
$85,000-$108,000
Academic-medical premium · ICU / neuro / cardiac · BJC Magnet
Inpatient Rehab PT (RHN / Madonna)
$82,000-$105,000
Rehabilitation Hospital of Springfield + Madonna Rehab + BJC RHI · stroke / TBI / SCI specialty
Sports Medicine / Orthopedic Specialty
$95,000-$128,000
OCS / SCS cert · Cardinals / Blues / Royals / Chiefs / SLU / Mizzou Athletics
Pediatric PT (Children's Mercy / Cardinal Glennon)
$82,000-$108,000
PCS cert · Children's Mercy KC + SSM Cardinal Glennon STL · Magnet hospitals
Home Health PT
$85,000-$118,000
PRN / per-diem · $80-105/visit · St. Louis / KC / Springfield markets
VA St. Louis / Kansas City PT
$85,000-$125,000
GS-12/13 + 18.94% / 19.15% locality · federal · PSLF + FERS pension
PT Clinic Owner / Director
$125,000-$215,000
Private practice · 2-5 employee clinic · MO Board of PT licensure
Worth knowing: Washington University Program in Physical Therapy (St. Louis, BJC-affiliated) is one of the top-5 US DPT programs by research funding and clinical residency match competitiveness. BJC + WashU operates the largest academic-medical PT market in the Midwest with substantial sports medicine + ortho + neuro / SCI specialty roles. Children's Mercy Kansas City is a top US pediatric hospital with substantial pediatric PT roles. SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital (St. Louis) anchors east MO pediatric PT. The MO sports medicine market is uniquely deep: St. Louis Cardinals MLB + St. Louis Blues NHL + St. Louis City SC MLS + Kansas City Royals MLB + Kansas City Chiefs NFL + Sporting KC MLS + Mizzou Athletics + SLU Athletics + UMKC Athletics + Missouri State Athletics. PT Compact (since 2018, MO member) enables interstate practice mobility across 30+ compact states.
Missouri PT — BJC + WashU premium, sports medicine market, PT Compact, retirement-favorable
$95-128K
Sports medicine + OCS / SCS specialty · Cardinals / Blues / Royals / Chiefs / Mizzou
$78-95K
Outpatient orthopedic PT · ATI / Select / Athletico / Cox / Mercy · base + productivity
0%
MO estate + MO inheritance (since 2005) · favorable retirement
4.95%
MO top state · suburban residency avoids 1% STL/KC city earnings tax
Most PT roles are -exempt under the professional exemption — BJC / WashU / SSM / Mercy / Saint Luke's / Children's Mercy / MU Health / Cox staff PT positions are all exempt salaried. 's overtime deduction does not apply to standard PT comp. The MO market drivers: 4.95% state structure (suburban residency avoids 1% city earnings tax), BJC + WashU academic-medical premium, Cardinals + Blues + Chiefs + Royals + Mizzou sports medicine market, PT Compact mobility (since 2018), density.
Per-diem and home-health PT work at BJC outpatient, home-health agencies (Bayada, Encompass, Aveanna) produces hourly or 1099 contractor income at $80-105/hr — typically not OT-classified but treated as supplemental productivity-based income. Outpatient ortho PT at ATI / Select / Athletico / Cox PT / Mercy PT runs productivity-bonus structure on top of base salary; high-volume PT can stack $8-22K/year bonus.
Real numbers: a BJC acute care PT at $98K base (St. Louis County resident) — MO 4.95% × $98K = $4,850/year (no city earnings tax). Same comp in MD: $7,840/year combined. MO saves $2,990/year vs MD. Same comp in MA: $4,900. MO essentially equal MA. Same comp in TN: $0. TN saves $4,850/year. eligibility ($115-160K DPT federal balance forgiven after 10 years at BJC / SSM / Mercy / Saint Luke's / Children's Mercy / MU Health / Cox / VA St. Louis / VA KC) saves $70-130K in lifetime debt. The MO 4.95% state + suburban residency 1% city earnings tax avoidance + BJC academic-medical premium + PSLF + 0% estate retirement combination is among the more favorable Midwest PT comp + lifetime structures.
Missouri for physical therapists — the honest take
MO PT clusters in three corridors. The St. Louis corridor (BJC HealthCare + Washington University + Barnes-Jewish + St. Louis Children's, SSM Health, Mercy Health, plus Cardinals + Blues + St. Louis City SC team coverage at BJC + SLU + outside contractors) is the densest US PT market in the Midwest by single-employer concentration. The Kansas City corridor (Saint Luke's Health System, Children's Mercy KC, HCA Midwest, plus Royals + Chiefs + Sporting KC team coverage) anchors the western MO + KS metro PT market. The Columbia (MU Health Care + Mizzou Athletics) and Springfield (CoxHealth + Mercy Springfield + Missouri State Athletics) corridors anchor central + southwest MO at materially lower COL.
BJC + WashU academic-medical premium drives the MO PT top tier. BJC staff PT comp ($85-108K depending on specialty) runs $5-15K above community-hospital comp at HCA Midwest or regional hospitals. WashU DPT program is top-5 US — strong residency match into BJC clinical roles. St. Louis County housing $325-700K mid-tier (Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Ballwin, Chesterfield) — top schools + 0% city earnings tax. Premium tier (Ladue, Frontenac) at $750K-$1.5M+. KC suburbs (Lee's Summit, Liberty MO, Overland Park / Leawood KS) at $325-650K. Columbia (Boone) $275-525K. Springfield (Greene) $250-475K.
Most MO PTs retire in-state — MO's 0% estate + 0% inheritance (since 2005) + 4.95% top state on retirement income (with 62+ age exemptions) + low 0.97% property tax + low overall COL makes MO favorable for PT retirement. Common retirement patterns: stay in St. Louis County / KC suburbs, or migrate to Lake of the Ozarks (Camden / Miller Counties) for waterfront retirement, or Branson area (Taney County) for tourism + lower COL. Pre-distribution relocation to FL / NC / TN is rare for MO PTs vs MA / MD peers.
How Missouri taxes work for physical therapists (and where the levers are)
MO charges progressive state income tax 0-4.95% in 2026. Top rate kicks in at $8,968 single. Most PT comp ($78-128K) hits the 4.95% top bracket. Plus St. Louis City + Kansas City 1% local earnings tax — residents pay 1%, non-resident workers pay 1% on city-earned income. Suburban residency avoids the local earnings tax. For a BJC acute PT at $98K (St. Louis County): MO 4.95% = $4,850/year. Same comp in MD: $7,840/year combined. MO saves $2,990/year vs MD. Compared to TN (0%): TN saves $4,850/year MO state.
maxing is the central active-duty move. BJC HealthCare as 501(c)(3) academic medical center offers + match. SSM / Mercy / Saint Luke's KC / Children's Mercy / MU Health / Cox all offer 403(b) at $24,500/year + match. HCA Midwest offers 401(k) + (15% off) + RSU at corporate roles. At $98K MO PT + 22% federal + 4.95% MO marginal, maxing $24,500 saves $6,600/year combined federal + state.
for non-profit hospital PTs at BJC / SSM / Mercy / Saint Luke's / Children's Mercy / MU Health / Cox / VA St. Louis / VA KC — 10 years of qualifying federal student loan payments resulting in tax-free DPT debt forgiveness. For a PT with $135K DPT federal balance, 10 years at BJC or VA erases the entire balance vs the typical 25-year self-pay. Lifetime savings $70-130K — a far bigger lever than the MO-vs-TN annual tax delta.
Sports medicine specialty + PT Compact (since 2018, MO member) is a unique MO active-duty lever. St. Louis Cardinals MLB + St. Louis Blues NHL + St. Louis City SC MLS + Kansas City Royals MLB + Kansas City Chiefs NFL + Sporting KC MLS team coverage at BJC + Mercy + outside contractors, plus Mizzou Athletics + SLU Athletics + UMKC Athletics — uniquely deep US sports medicine market. PT Compact mobility enables MO-resident PTs to provide telehealth + locum coverage in 30+ compact states. Annual income $115-165K typical for senior sports medicine + travel PT.
- →Locate residency in St. Louis County / KC suburbs to avoid 1% city earnings tax · saves $800-1,200/year at $80-120K PT comp
- →MO 0% estate + 0% inheritance (since 2005) · saves $480K-$1.6M+ vs MA $2M / MD $5M cliff at PT-spouse high-earner asset tier
- →Max at BJC HealthCare (501(c)(3) academic) for $24,500/year + match · saves $6,600/year combined fed + MO at $98K tier
- → on $135K DPT federal balance: 10 years at BJC / SSM / Mercy / Saint Luke's / Children's Mercy / MU Health / Cox / VA = tax-free forgiveness · $70-130K lifetime savings
- →Pursue OCS / SCS specialty cert: $5-15K base premium · $95-128K specialty comp tier
- →Sports medicine track at BJC: Cardinals MLB / Blues NHL / SLU Athletics · uniquely deep US sports medicine market
- →Pediatric PT at Children's Mercy KC or SSM Cardinal Glennon STL: PCS cert + premium pediatric specialty · top US pediatric markets · $82-108K + Magnet hospital prestige
- →PT Compact (since 2018): per-diem coverage in 30+ compact states · adds $8-18K/year supplemental
The Missouri PT career arc — DPT entry to specialty / clinic ownership
Years 0-3 (post-DPT): $72-90K. DPT (3-year doctorate post-undergrad) + NPTE national exam + MO Board of PT licensure. Washington University DPT (St. Louis, top-5 US program), University of Missouri DPT (Columbia), Saint Louis University DPT, Maryville University DPT, Missouri State DPT (Springfield), Rockhurst DPT (KC) graduates dominate the in-state pipeline. Decision point: outpatient ortho (ATI / Select / Athletico / Cox / Mercy $72-90K starting + productivity bonus) vs acute care (BJC / WashU / SSM / Saint Luke's / Children's Mercy $78-98K starting) vs pediatric (Children's Mercy / SSM Cardinal Glennon $78-95K) vs federal (VA St. Louis / KC GS-12 entry $85K + locality + ).
Years 3-10 (established practice + specialty): $85-128K depending on specialty. BJC / WashU / SSM / Children's Mercy acute-care + pediatric PT $85-108K with academic-medical premium. Outpatient ortho with productivity bonus reaches $95-115K. Sports medicine + OCS / SCS cert specialty $108-128K + Cardinals / Blues / Royals / Chiefs team-coverage premium during seasons. Federal VA St. Louis / KC reaches GS-13 ($110K + 18.94% / 19.15% locality = $130-131K). Maxing at BJC ($24,500/year) is the peak active-duty lever for academic-track PT.
Years 10+ (senior PT / clinic owner / federal senior / retirement): $115-215K depending on track. Senior PT clinical leadership $128-165K. Clinic owner private practice $145-215K with proper + solo + cash-balance plan structure. VA St. Louis / KC at GS-14 step-10 reaches $145K + locality + FERS pension. Most MO PTs retire in-state — favorable 0% estate + 0% inheritance + 4.95% retirement state with 62+ exemptions.
Where Missouri PTs actually live
MO PT housing tracks employer + commute. BJC + WashU + SSM + Mercy STL PTs in St. Louis County (Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Ballwin, Affton, Florissant) avoiding STL City 1% resident earnings tax. Saint Luke's + Children's Mercy KC PTs in Lee's Summit / Liberty MO or Overland Park / Leawood KS. Federal VA St. Louis / KC PTs in St. Louis / Jackson Counties. MU Health Columbia in Boone County. Cox / Mercy Springfield in Greene County.
Kirkwood / Webster Groves / Ballwin (St. Louis County)
$400-700K · 0% city earnings tax · top schools · BJC + WashU commute
Affton / Maplewood / Florissant (St. Louis County)
$250-475K · 0% city earnings tax · St. Louis County entry-tier
Lee's Summit / Liberty MO / Blue Springs (KC suburbs)
$325-525K · 0% city earnings tax · Saint Luke's + Children's Mercy commute
Columbia (Boone)
$275-525K · MU Health + Mizzou Athletics · cheaper Mid-MO tier
Springfield (Greene)
$250-475K · CoxHealth + Mercy Springfield + Missouri State Athletics · cheapest MO tier
MO's BJC + WashU academic-medical premium + Cardinals / Blues / Chiefs / Royals sports medicine market + PT Compact mobility (since 2018) + 0% estate retirement structure (since 2005) make MO a balanced Midwest PT market — strong active-duty + retirement-favorable.
Is this the right move?
Missouri PT — who it's best for
Working in your favor
- +BJC HealthCare + Washington University: top-15 US NIH-funded research hospital · WashU DPT top-5 US program
- +Children's Mercy KC + SSM Cardinal Glennon STL: top US pediatric hospitals · pediatric PT $82-108K + Magnet
- +Sports medicine market depth: Cardinals MLB + Blues NHL + Royals MLB + Chiefs NFL + Mizzou + SLU + UMKC · $95-128K
- +MO 0% estate + 0% inheritance (since 2005) + 4.95% retirement state · favorable vs MA / MD
- +PT Compact member state (since 2018): interstate practice mobility across 30+ states
Worth knowing before you sign
- −MO base PT comp ($78-95K mid-career) below MA / NY / CA · 4.95% state offsets but headline lower
- −St. Louis City + Kansas City residency adds 1% earnings tax · suburban residency required
- −Outpatient ortho productivity-bonus pressure (ATI / Select / Athletico) · burnout reported industry-wide
- −DPT $115-160K federal balance load · PSLF eligibility critical for non-federal-track PTs
- −Sports medicine market seasonal · MLB / NFL / NHL / MLS seasonal · uneven OT during off-season
Job Market in Missouri
Missouri has active demand for Physical Therapists.
Growth outlook: 15% growth through 2032 (much faster than average)
Related job titles:
Cost of Living in Missouri
Missouri has a varied cost of living by region.
💰 Monthly take-home: $5,847
🏠 Typical rent: $1,600/mo
📊 After rent: $4,247/mo
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