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Physiotherapist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a physiotherapist is $98,200 per annum, before tax, up $20,400 since 2018.
Where you work shapes pay more than anything else. Public hospital roles sit under state enterprise agreements with defined increments, while private practice commonly pays a base plus a share of what you bill, so a busy caseload lifts your income. Senior clinical, management and practice ownership roles pay more again, and part-time work is common across the profession, which is worth keeping in mind when comparing annual figures.
Roles that pay more than physiotherapist
The largest typical pay rise is $53,800 a year, moving into University Lecturer.
- University Lecturer+$53,800/yr
- Resident Medical Officer+$5,800/yr
- Occupational Therapist+$1,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher physiotherapist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time physiotherapist salary is $98,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Physiotherapists are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Patient care and support and Clinical assessment and treatment tend to command a premium over general physiotherapist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. University Lecturer pays a typical $53,800 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Physiotherapist salary questions
How much do physiotherapists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a physiotherapist is $98,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is physiotherapist pay rising or falling?
The median physiotherapist salary is up $20,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than physiotherapist?
University Lecturer pays a typical $53,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to physiotherapist.