Physiotherapist salary in australia: Complete guide for 2025
Darshan Shah
03 Oct 2024
As of 2025, the physiotherapy profession remains one of the most important professions in Australia. As the country is growing towards healthy life and wellness, the need for a physiotherapist also increases. Physiotherapists play a very important role, in helping in recovery from injuries, managing chronic conditions and improving overall function. Physiotherapists enjoy Competitive salaries and job positions. In this blog, we will help you understand physiotherapist salaries in Australia and factors such as location, specialisation, education and experience influencing a physiotherapist in Australia.
Factors Influencing Physiotherapist Salary in Australia
Before deciding a future profession, it is important that individuals take in consideration the salary compensation. There are many factors such as education, experience, location, and specialisation that affect physiotherapist salary in Australia. Check out the list of all the factors influencing the salary.
Location
salaries can change and differ on the basis of state and region where a physiotherapist operates. Big major cities like Sydney or Melbourne, have higher wages to physiotherapists compared to those in rural areas. Cost of living and demand in these areas are high leading to higher salaries.
Experience
Just like any other profession, physiotherapists with more experience and more knowledge, get a higher pay. Entry level physiotherapists are less compared to those with more skills and more specialisation.
Specialisation
Physiotherapist professionals with specialised knowledge in areas like sports, paediatric care or neurological care, earn higher pay.
Work Settings
The salary also depends on the type of facility they work in, for example, hospitals, sports clinics, or aged care centres. Physiotherapists working in private practice earn higher.
Education and qualifications
Professionals, holding a high qualification or certification or any additional training leads to higher salaries.
The average salary of a physiotherapist in Australia
The average salary of a physiotherapist in Australia depends on different factors, such as education and qualifications, work settings, specialisation, location of operation, and experience level.
The average salary ranges between AUD 70,000 to AUD 85,000 per year.
Location- influencing salary of a physiotherapist in Australia
Salary of physiotherapists in Australia can be easily influenced by the location they operate in. By understanding this factor candidates, understand the importance of relocation to high earning areas. Big major cities like Sydney or Melbourne, have higher wages to physiotherapists compared to one in rural areas. Cost of living and demand in these areas are high leading to higher salaries
Sr. No.
Location
Average salary
1
New South Wales
AUD 75,000-100,000
2
Victoria
AUD 70,000-95,000
3
Queensland
AUD 70,000-90,000
4
Western Australia
AUD 75,000-95,000
5
South Australia
AUD 65,000-85,000
6
Tasmania
AUD 60,000-80,000
7
Northern Territory
AUD 70,000-90,000
8
Australian capital territory
AUD 75,000-95,000
Experience- influencing the salary of a physiotherapist in Australia
Just like any other profession, physiotherapists with more experience and more knowledge, get higher pay. Entry level physiotherapists are fewer compared to those with more skills and more specialisation.
Sr. No.
Experience
Average Salary
1
0-2 years of experience
AUD 60,000-75,000
2
2-5 years of experience
AUD 70,000-85,000
3
5-10 years of experience
AUD 80,000-95,000
4
10-15 years of experience
AUD 90,000-110,000
5
15+ years of experience
AUD 100,000-130,000+
6
private practice
AUD 120,000-150,000+
Specialisation- influencing the salary of a physiotherapist in Australia
The salary of a physiotherapist significantly changes on the basis of specialisation. Physiotherapist professionals with specialised knowledge in areas like sports, paediatric care or neurological care, earn higher pay.
Sr. No.
specialisation
average salary
1
Sports Physiotherapy
AUD 80,000 to AUD 120,000+
2
Paediatric Physiotherapy
AUD 70,000 to AUD 110,000
3
Orthopaedic Physiotherapy
AUD 75,000 to AUD 120,000
4
Neurological Physiotherapy
AUD 80,000 to AUD 130,000
5
Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy
AUD 75,000 to AUD 110,000
6
Geriatric Physiotherapy
AUD 70,000 to AUD 100,000
7
Women’s Health Physiotherapy
AUD 75,000 to AUD 115,000
8
Hand Therapy
AUD 80,000 to AUD 120,000
9
Occupational Health Physiotherapy
AUD 85,000 to AUD 130,000
10
Rehabilitation Physiotherapy
AUD 75,000 to AUD 110,000
11
Clinical Pilates Physiotherapy
AUD 80,000 to AUD 115,000
12
Vestibular Physiotherapy
AUD 80,000 to AUD 120,000
Work setting- influencing the salary of a physiotherapist in Australia
The salary of a physiotherapist also depends on the type of facility they work in, for example, hospitals, sports clinics, or aged care centres. Physiotherapists working in private practice earn more.
Sr. No.
Work Setting
Average Salary
1
public hospital
AUD 65,000-90,000
2
private practice
AUD 70,000-120,000+
3
sports clinic
AUD 80,000-130,000+
4
aged care facilities
AUD 65,000-85,000
5
rehabilitation centre
AUD 70,000-110,000
6
community health Centre
AUD 65,000-85,000
7
private hospital
AUD 70,000-100,000
8
corporate health and occupational therapy
AUD 85,000-130,000+
9
Home healthcare
AUD 70,000-95,000
10
academic and research, Institutions
AUD 80,000-110,000
Education- influencing the salary of a physiotherapist in Australia
The salary of a physiotherapist based on Study in Australia is significantly based on the education level of candidates. Professionals, holding a high qualification or certification or any additional training leads to higher salaries.
Sr. No.
Level of education
Average Salary
1
bachelor's degree
AUD 60,000-85,000
2
Masters degree
AUD 70,000-100,000
3
certification or postgraduate specialisation
AUD 75,000-120,000+
4
doctorate degree (PhD)
AUD 90,000-130,000+
5
continuous professional development (CPD)
AUD 70,000-115,000
6
advance clinical certification
AUD 80,000-130,000+
Conclusion
The field of physiotherapy provides a lot of opportunities to students. Professionals can expect a higher and more competitive salary as of 2025. Physiotherapists in Australia promise financial rewards, job security and career growth to professionals and freshers. The salary is dependent on different factors such as location, industry, experience and any specific specialisation. It is important to know about the trends in the industry, salary packages and relevant certifications, which will lead to higher salaries. As the country is growing towards healthy life and wellness, the need for a physiotherapist also increases. Physiotherapists play a very important role, in helping in recovery from injuries, managing chronic conditions and improving overall function. For physiotherapist professionals who are willing to make their careers grow, Australia is definitely an ideal location with a plethora of opportunities.
What is the average salary for a physiotherapist professional in Australia?
The average salary for a physiotherapist professional in Australia is around AUD 75,000 to AUD 85,000 yearly.
What salary must a fresher expect in Australia for the physiotherapist profession?
An entry-level physiotherapist profession in Australia must expect a salary of around AUD 60,000 to AUD 75,000 yearly.
Does the salary of a physiotherapist profession in Australia differ on the basis of different cities?
Definitely, yes! The salary of physiotherapists in Australia can be easily influenced by the location they operate in. Big major cities like Sydney or Melbourne, have higher wages to physiotherapists compared to those in rural areas. The cost of living and demand in these areas are high leading to higher salaries
Is demand for physiotherapists increasing in Australia?
Yes, the demand for physiotherapists in Australia is increasing. As of 2025, the physiotherapy profession remains one of the most important professions in Australia. As the country is growing towards healthy life and wellness, the need for a physiotherapist also increases.