Physical therapy cost without insurance
The median cash price for Physical therapy, 15 min is $93.00 across 1,319 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price. Most hospitals (the middle 80%) charge between $33.97 and $180.00.
Physical therapy is billed in pieces: a first evaluation (97161–97163, by complexity), then treatment codes such as therapeutic exercise (97110) and manual therapy (97140) charged per 15-minute unit. A typical visit combines several units, so a visit costs a multiple of the per-unit price, and a course of care often runs for several weeks.
Collected Sep 25, 2026 One price per hospital, from each hospital's own price file
Physical therapy prices by type
The treatment codes are priced per 15-minute unit, so multiply by the number of units you expect per visit; the evaluation is billed once at the start of care. The state table uses 97110, therapeutic exercise.
| Procedure | Hospitals | Most charge | Median | Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT evaluation, low complexity Physical therapy evaluation, low complexity (typically about 20 minutes) · code 97161 | 1,281 | $88.40–$417.60 | $207.23 | $97.86median 2.1× |
| PT evaluation, mod. complexity Physical therapy evaluation, moderate complexity (typically about 30 minutes) · code 97162 | 1,276 | $100.00–$480.00 | $232.75 | $97.86median 2.4× |
| PT evaluation, high complexity Physical therapy evaluation, high complexity (typically about 45 minutes) · code 97163 | 1,265 | $104.51–$551.00 | $259.50 | $97.86median 2.7× |
| Physical therapy, 15 min Physical therapy, therapeutic exercise (15-minute unit) · code 97110 | 1,319 | $33.97–$180.00 | $93.00 | $29.06median 3.2× |
| Manual therapy, 15 min Physical therapy, hands-on manual therapy (15-minute unit) · code 97140 | 1,283 | $35.20–$191.79 | $92.38 | $27.72median 3.3× |
| Therapeutic activities Therapeutic activities (functional training), 15 minutes · code 97530 | 1,312 | $39.91–$187.20 | $90.34 | $35.07median 2.6× |
| Balance and coordination training Neuromuscular re-education, 15 minutes · code 97112 | 1,291 | $39.53–$188.50 | $93.09 | $32.73median 2.8× |
| Occupational therapy evaluation Occupational therapy evaluation, low complexity · code 97165 | 1,244 | $88.31–$415.88 | $207.95 | $100.54median 2.1× |
“Most charge” is the middle 80% of hospitals (10th to 90th percentile), so one mistyped line in a hospital file cannot stretch it. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price for the code. “Medicare” is Medicare's 2026 national base rate for the same service outside a hospital stay, including the patient's share (the hospital outpatient, lab or hospital clinic rate); “median 3×” means the median cash price is three times that rate.
Physical therapy, 15 min: median by state
States with at least two hospitals, cheapest median first. Pick a state for its physical therapy prices and cheapest hospitals.
- Puerto Rico$25.55
- New Jersey$37.06
- Louisiana$37.94
- Oklahoma$39.00
- Tennessee$41.79
- Mississippi$50.40
- Maine$55.35
- Nebraska$56.99
- Nevada$58.50
- Arkansas$60.45
- New Hampshire$63.80
- Indiana$66.00
- Michigan$67.43
- West Virginia$70.50
- Kansas$71.00
- Washington$71.91
- Idaho$72.00
- Montana$74.40
- Maryland$75.31
- Missouri$76.70
- Oregon$76.94
- Iowa$78.65
- Wyoming$78.77
- New York$82.55
- Illinois$85.00
- Minnesota$87.22
- Wisconsin$87.50
- Georgia$88.14
- Rhode Island$88.90
- Virginia$93.75
- North Carolina$96.00
- Massachusetts$99.34
- North Dakota$102.95
- Delaware$104.16
- Ohio$104.18
- South Carolina$111.25
- Pennsylvania$118.40
- Vermont$120.00
- Connecticut$123.00
- Texas$125.24
- South Dakota$126.00
- California$129.36
- Florida$142.98
- Colorado$171.49
- Alaska$199.68
- Kentucky$210.98
- Arizona$272.00
- Alabama$275.04
Paying cash: what to do
- Ask how many units and which codes a typical visit bills, then multiply the per-unit prices in the table.
- Ask independent physical therapy practices for a flat per-visit cash rate; many offer one.
- Compare a hospital-based therapy clinic with an independent practice, since hospital outpatient prices are often higher for the same codes.
Questions
Can I see a physical therapist without a referral?
Every state allows some form of direct access to a physical therapist, but many limit how long or how many visits you can have before a physician's referral is required. Ask the clinic what your state's rules require.
How many physical therapy sessions will I need?
It depends on the condition and your progress. The therapist sets a plan of care after the evaluation, which is the best time to ask for the expected number of visits and the total cost.
Why is physical therapy billed in 15-minute units?
The treatment codes are time-based, so each 15 minutes of direct treatment is one unit. Medicare and many insurers use the '8-minute rule' to count units, while cash-based clinics often charge a flat price per visit instead.