Curious what a travel PT actually takes home today? Here’s a clear, recruiter-proof guide that covers typical weekly pay, how packages are built, what affects rates, and where traveling physical therapist salary sits next to a traditional staff job. We’ll also touch on the traveling physical therapist assistant salary so you can compare roles on the same playing field.
Snapshot: What Do Travel PTs Make Right Now?
Across large job boards that track active contracts, travel physical therapists are averaging about $2,200–$2,400 per week for 36–40 hours, with hot markets posting more. One of the biggest aggregators, Vivian, shows an average of $2,235/week based on tens of thousands of listings updated in October 2025.
How does that stack up to staff pay? The latest BLS report lists a national median of $101,020/year for physical therapists (roughly ~$1,940/week before taxes if you divide by 52). Travel often beats that weekly number, especially when stipends are optimized, though contracts aren’t guaranteed 52 weeks a year. Bureau of Labor Statistics
How Travel Pay Is Built (And Why “Blended” Matters)
Your quote usually includes:
a taxable hourly base, and
nontaxed stipends for housing and meals/incidentals (M&IE) when you maintain a valid tax home and duplicate expenses.
Staffing leaders break down this structure as the standard way travel therapy packages are built; the nontaxed portion can meaningfully boost net pay if you qualify. The tax status of stipends hinges on IRS rules about maintaining a tax home and working away from it; traveler-focused guidance for 2025 reiterates that if you don’t meet those criteria, stipends are taxable. flexcarestaff.com
Practical translation: a “$2,300/week” offer might come from ~$22–$30/hr taxable base plus housing and M&IE stipends up to local per-diem caps. High cost-of-living areas usually post higher stipends, which is why the same skill set can net different “blended” totals.
What Moves The Needle On Pay
Location & Cost Of Living. Dense metros and hard-to-fill rural areas can both pay more, for different reasons (housing costs vs. scarcity).
Setting. Home health and certain outpatient roles tend to run higher than some inpatient jobs; this mirrors staff wage patterns the BLS observes by industry.
Urgency & Seasonality. Crisis openings, winter coverage in snow states, or last-minute backfills lift rates.
Experience & Subspecialty. Ortho, neuro, vestibular, and pelvic health skills can command premiums.
Overtime & Call. OT after 36–40 hours, weekend coverage, or evaluation-heavy caseloads can bump weekly totals.
Contract Discipline. Extending at the right time, choosing tax-home-friendly distances, and negotiating reimbursements (licensure, travel, CE) all add up.
Related Article: Physical Therapy Salary Trends
Annualizing A Travel PT Income (Reality Check)
If you string together four back-to-back 13-week contracts with minimal gaps, $2,235/week pencils out near $116k gross for 52 paid weeks—but most travelers self-schedule breaks, relocate, or wait for the next great fit. That downtime is part of the lifestyle. Compare apples to apples: a staff role pays steadily year-round with benefits; a traveler may exceed weekly pay but shoulder housing logistics, variable benefits, and potential unpaid weeks.
Where Does A PTA Land?
For context, the BLS lists a median of $65,510/year for physical therapist assistants (PTAs) in traditional employment. In the travel market, PTAs average about $1,500/week nationally as of October 2025 (with wide swings by state and setting). If you’re comparing traveling physical therapist assistant salary to PT travel rates, think in ratios: PTA weekly offers are commonly ~60–70% of PT offers in the same region, with occasional overlap in high-demand contracts.
Related Article: Malpractice Insurance for Physical Therapist Assistant
How To Maximize Your Take-Home
Qualify for tax-advantaged stipends. Maintain a tax home, document duplicated expenses, and avoid >12 months in one metro. When in doubt, ask a tax pro familiar with travel healthcare.
Target settings that pay. Home health and outpatient contracts often run higher; confirm productivity expectations before you sign.
Align start dates. Minimize unpaid gaps by lining up extensions or next assignments 2–3 weeks ahead.
Carry the right licenses. Compact states or high-demand licenses (e.g., CA, NY) widen your options and bargaining power.
Negotiate the whole package. Hourly base, stipends, reimbursements (licensure, travel, CE), call/OT rules, and cancellation penalties all affect your true weekly number.
Related Article: How Much Does Physical Therapy Cost?
Bottom Line
If you’re weighing a traveling physical therapist salary versus a staff job, expect around $2.2k+/week on average right now, with higher spikes in select markets and settings. PTAs traveling can see ~$1.5k/week with similar market forces at play. Travel rewards flexibility, smart contract timing, and tax-savvy planning; staff roles trade a steadier paycheck and benefits for less volatility. Choose the path that matches your season of life—and negotiate like a pro either way.