Physical Therapist vs Plumber Salary
Physical Therapists earn approximately 36.5% more than Plumbers nationally — $96,000 vs $61,000.
Physical Therapists earn approximately $35,000 more per year than Plumbers — about 57% — with comparable entry requirements.
What it takes to get in
Physical Therapist roles typically require a doctoral or professional degree, while Plumber roles require a high school diploma. Counting everything it takes to become employable — degree plus any apprenticeship, residency, or licensing exam — that is roughly 7 years for Physical Therapist and 5 for Plumber.
Each requires credentials — State license via the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for Physical Therapist, State/local plumbing license required after apprenticeship for Plumber. Renewals and continuing-education hours are an ongoing cost in both, not a one-time hurdle.
Pay range, not just the median
The medians hide most of what matters. Physical Therapist pay runs from roughly $72,260 at the low end to $130,870 at the high end; Plumber runs $39,000 to $105,000. The title sets the band; specialization, employer size, and location decide where inside it you actually sit.
The two bands are shaped differently. Plumber top earners make about 2.7× what beginners make, against 1.8× for Physical Therapist. A wide band means the ceiling rewards specializing and the median understates what is achievable; a narrow one means pay is more predictable and less dependent on landing the right niche.
What the work is actually like
Physical Therapist: Outpatient clinics, hospitals, and patients' homes; hands-on physical work. Plumber: Residential and commercial job sites, crawlspaces, basements.
Schedules differ too: Physical Therapist work usually means standard weekday hours, Plumber means on-call rotations. People underweight this when comparing offers and then cite it when they leave.
Moving between the two
These two barely touch. Healthcare and Trades draw on separate training pipelines, and employers in one rarely read experience in the other as relevant. Budget for a real reset. Physical therapist assistants can only move into this role by completing a full DPT program; PTs can pivot into sports performance, ergonomics consulting, or academia. Pipefitters and steamfitters cross over directly; HVAC techs pick it up faster than average due to overlapping pipe and code knowledge.
If you are entering rather than switching: Physical Therapist — Complete a bachelor's degree, then a 3-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, then pass the NPTE. Plumber — Complete a 4-5 year union (UA) or trade-school apprenticeship, then pass the state or local plumbing license exam.
Pay ranges, education requirements, and employment projections come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. See our methodology for how these are compiled and updated.
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Physical Therapist salary by state — Plumber salary by state — Best cities for Physical Therapist — Best cities for Plumber — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.