How much does a Physical Therapist make in Missouri?

BLS puts the average Physical Therapist pay in Missouri at $98,700 a year (BLS, May 2025). On that pay in Missouri, after federal taxes, FICA, and Missouri state taxes, your estimated take-home pay is approximately $74,655 annually ($6,221/month).

What is the take-home pay for a Physical Therapist in Missouri?

On a $98,700 salary in Missouri, your take-home pay is approximately $74,655/year or $6,221/month. Federal tax: $12,884. State tax: $3,611. FICA: $7,551.

Is $98,700 a good Physical Therapist salary?

$98,700 is the BLS average Physical Therapist pay in Missouri, 6% below the US average of $105,280 (BLS, May 2025). The middle 50% in Missouri earn between $80,910 and $109,880.

How do Missouri taxes affect Physical Therapist salaries?

Missouri levies state income tax on top of federal taxes. Your estimated state tax on $98,700 is $3,611. Your total effective tax rate is approximately 24.4%.

What are the career growth prospects for Physical Therapists?

In Missouri, the top 10% earn over $124,530 and the bottom 10% under $76,110 (BLS, May 2025). 15% growth through 2032 (much faster than average). Related roles include: Sports PT, Orthopedic PT, Neurological PT, Pediatric PT, PT Assistant.

How can a Physical Therapist in Missouri reduce their tax bill?

Maximize your 401(k) contribution ($24,500 in 2026) to reduce taxable income. An HSA ($4,400 single / $8,750 family) adds further pre-tax savings. These strategies can save thousands annually — use our calculator to see your exact savings.

Healthcare

Physical Therapist Salary in Missouri (2026)

Average Physical Therapist pay in Missouri

$98,700/year

≈ $47/hour before tax

Middle 50% earn $80,910–$109,880

US average: $105,280

Source: BLS, May 2025

After tax (single filer)

$74,655/year

$6,221/month · effective tax rate 24.36%

Federal $12,884
State $3,611
FICA $7,551
Take-home

Pay by role in Missouri

Physical Therapist (any setting)BLS · middle 50%$80,910–$109,880
Senior / Board-Certified Specialist PTBLS · 75th–90th percentile$109,880–$124,530

See the full tax breakdown

Category	Amount
Annual Take-Home Pay	$74,655
Monthly Take-Home Pay	$6,221
Biweekly Take-Home Pay	$2,871
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year	$36/hr
Federal Tax	$12,884
State Tax	$3,611
FICA Taxes	$7,551
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary	24.36%

Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

Missouri physical therapist comp anchors at $78-95K mid-career staff at BJC HealthCare (Barnes-Jewish + Washington University, St. Louis), SSM Health, Mercy Health, Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City), Children's Mercy Kansas City, MU Health Care (Columbia), CoxHealth Springfield, plus regional outpatient ortho + sports medicine markets. Specialty + outpatient ortho + sports medicine PT $95-128K. Missouri charges progressive state income tax topping out at 4.7% for 2026 (4.95% in 2023, SB 3 of 2022) + St. Louis City / Kansas City 1% local earnings tax (on residents, and on wages earned inside either city — including BJC's Barnes-Jewish campus), plus 0% estate / 0% inheritance (since 2005) + low 0.97% effective property tax. The MO PT math turns on BJC + WashU academic-medical premium, St. Louis Cardinals MLB + Blues NHL + KC Royals MLB + Chiefs NFL sports medicine markets, PT Compact mobility (since 2018), and 0% estate retirement-favorable structure.

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.

Physical Therapist (any setting)

$80,910–$109,880

ATI / Select / Athletico / Cox PT / Mercy PT / private · 2-7 yr post-DPT

Source: BLS May 2025 · Physical Therapists · Missouri · middle 50%

Senior / Board-Certified Specialist PT

$109,880–$124,530

OCS / SCS cert · Cardinals / Blues / Royals / Chiefs / SLU / Mizzou Athletics

Source: BLS May 2025 · Physical Therapists · Missouri · 75th–90th percentile

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

MO estate + MO inheritance (since 2005) · favorable retirement

4.7%

MO top rate · STL/KC 1% earnings tax on residents and on city-hospital wages (BJC)

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: a 4.7% top rate (the STL / KC 1% applies to residents and to city-hospital wages), 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 single BJC acute care PT at $98K base — MO progressive, 4.7% top = $3,579/year, plus $980 of St. Louis earnings tax on BJC wages wherever the PT lives. Same comp in MD: about $6,350 at the 2.25% county floor, $7,220 in a 3.20% county. Same comp in MA: $4,680. MO saves $1,101/year vs MA before the city tax. Same comp in TN: $0. TN saves $3,579/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 4.7% top rate + 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 + no resident 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) + a 4.7% top rate with Social Security fully exempt since 2024 and partial pension 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 topping out at 4.7% for 2026 (down from 4.95% in 2023 under SB 3 of 2022). Top rate kicks in at $9,436 single. Most PT comp ($78-128K) hits the 4.7% top bracket. Plus St. Louis City + Kansas City 1% local earnings tax — residents pay 1%, non-resident workers pay 1% on city-earned income. A county home avoids only the resident tax; BJC wages owe the 1% wherever the PT lives. For a single BJC acute PT at $98K: MO progressive, 4.7% top = $3,579/year, plus $980 of city earnings tax. Same comp in MD: about $6,350 at the 2.25% county floor, $7,220 in a 3.20% county. Compared to TN (0%): TN saves $3,579/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, maxing $24,500 saves about $6,500/year combined federal + state (single filer, engine).

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.

→Live outside the city AND work at a county clinic or hospital to avoid the 1% earnings tax · $800-1,200/year at $80-120K PT comp; BJC wages owe it wherever you live
→MO 0% estate + 0% inheritance (since 2005) · no estate tax vs MA above $2M / MD above $5M at PT-spouse high-earner asset tier
→Max at BJC HealthCare (501(c)(3) academic) for $24,500/year + match · saves about $6,500/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 + a 4.7% top rate with Social Security exempt.

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 · no resident city tax (BJC wages still owe the STL 1%) · top schools · BJC + WashU commute

Affton / Maplewood / Florissant (St. Louis County)

$250-475K · no resident city tax · St. Louis County entry-tier

Lee's Summit / Liberty MO / Blue Springs (KC suburbs)

$325-525K · no resident city tax (KC hospital wages still owe KC 1%) · 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) + 4.7% top rate with Social Security exempt · 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 · 4.7% top rate offsets but headline lower
−St. Louis City + Kansas City 1% earnings tax on residents and on city-hospital wages · avoided only with a county job AND county home
−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

Sources & Methodology

Salary figures are market estimates for Physical Therapists in Missouri and vary by employer, specialty, seniority, and metro. Take-home math assumes a single filer with no dependents, the standard deduction, and Missouri 2026 state rates. Local taxes, insurance premiums, and pre-tax contributions will move your number — run the calculator for your own situation.

Run your own numbers

Missouri paycheck calculator → · 401(k), HSA, dependents
1099 tax calculator → · self-employment tax 15.3%
Bonus calculator → · year-end, sign-on, retention
No Tax on Overtime calculator → · up to $12,500 off federal tax

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