Salary comparison
Physical Therapists: San Francisco vs Santa Maria
San Francisco, CA pays about 10.3% more for physical therapists on paper — $141,980 vs $128,680. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, San Francisco comes out ahead by $13,300 a year in real buying power.
San Francisco, CA
$141,980
$123,470
$160,770
$68.26
100
$141,980/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Maria, CA
$128,680
$105,790
$147,210
$61.87
100
$128,680/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $13,300 a year (10.3%) in favor of San Francisco. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
San Francisco runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Santa Maria sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, San Francisco is the better deal by $13,300 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Santa Maria to San Francisco for this role, the raise needs to beat 10.3% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do physical therapists earn more, San Francisco or Santa Maria?
San Francisco pays $141,980 on median — about 10.3% more than Santa Maria ($128,680). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
San Francisco. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, San Francisco gives you roughly$141,980 of real buying power versus $128,680 in the other city.