Skip to main content

What to Pay a Physical Therapist in Grand Rapids, MI (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$88,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$77K–$101K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.7%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~26
Grand Rapids metro average
To hire a Physical Therapist in Grand Rapids at market, plan on a base salary range of $77,000 to $101,000, with $88,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 26 days, expect to lead at $101K–$116K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Michigan does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your PT pay range in Grand Rapids

Three pay positions, modeled against current Grand Rapids market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$67K–$77K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Grand Rapids average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$83.6K–$93.2K
Default for most Grand Rapids employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~26 days. A range width of ~30% (min $77,000 to max $101,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a PT's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$95.8K–$116K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

PT salary percentile distribution in Grand Rapids, MI

Where the Grand Rapids market actually sits for PT base pay.

10th $67K
25th $77K
Median $88K
75th $101K
90th $116K

Most Grand Rapids employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($88,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $77,000 and a max of $101,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Michigan pay transparency compliance for PT job postings

What you must post when hiring a PT in Michigan.

Not required statewide. Michigan has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a PT role in Grand Rapids, a compliant good-faith range looks like $77,000 to $101,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $77,000–$101,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top PT employers in Grand Rapids — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring PTs in the Grand Rapids metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Corewell Health West (Spectrum) Health system $83K–$104K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Trinity Health Grand Rapids Health system $83K–$104K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty $83K–$104K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Metro Health – U of M Health Community hospital $77K–$99K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Mercy Health Saint Mary's Hospital $79K–$100K Very common ($8K–$15K)

PT talent supply and hiring difficulty in Grand Rapids

How hard is it to fill a PT role in Grand Rapids.

~26
Avg Days to Fill
~1,760
Active Postings
~8,800
Grand Rapids PT Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Grand Rapids physical therapist market spans outpatient orthopedic, hospital inpatient rehab, home health, and skilled nursing. Outpatient orthopedic PT drives the largest employment share.

Skill premiums PT candidates command in Grand Rapids, MI

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
Orthopedic specialty (OCS) +6–9% Very high
Neurologic specialty (NCS) +6–9% High — stroke/TBI centers
Sports specialty (SCS) +6–9% High — collegiate/pro affiliations
Pelvic health specialty +5–8% Growing

PT total compensation in Grand Rapids — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for PTs in Grand Rapids. "Prevalence" reflects share of Grand Rapids disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Grand Rapids Postings
Base salary $88,000 (median) 100%
Productivity bonus $5K–$16K ~52%
Sign-on bonus $5K–$12K ~64%
Continuing education allowance $1,500–$3,500/yr ~78%
Loan repayment (HRSA/some employers) $20K–$40K total ~28%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$102K–$120K

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

PT pay by setting in Grand Rapids — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the PT range splits by employer type in the Grand Rapids metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Outpatient orthopedic clinic $84,000 $76K–$97K Moderate
Hospital inpatient rehab $92,000 $81K–$104K Above national avg
Home health $93,000 $83K–$106K High — rapid growth
Skilled nursing facility (SNF) $90,000 $79K–$102K High
School / pediatric $79,000 $70K–$90K Moderate

FAQ: hiring a Physical Therapist in Grand Rapids, MI

Market median is $88,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $88,000 — typically $77,000 to $101,000. To lead the market, plan on $101K–$116K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Michigan. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $77,000–$101,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$79,000 falls below the Grand Rapids market median of $88,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 64% of Grand Rapids PT postings include a sign-on bonus ($5K–$12K). Home health and SNF employers offer highest values.
Average fill time is approximately 26 days in the Grand Rapids metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($101K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($77K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Grand Rapids-metro posting volume: Corewell Health West (Spectrum), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Metro Health – U of M Health, Mercy Health Saint Mary's lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for PT in Grand Rapids — for example, $77,000 to $101,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Michigan has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related PT pay benchmarks — Michigan metros and nearby nursing roles

One page. One job. One city.

If you're modeling pay ranges across hundreds of roles and dozens of locations, doing this manually is the merit-cycle scramble that ate your last quarter. BetterComp keeps your full range structure current against live market data — without the survey lag.

See how it works →

Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.