CatSol Healthcare Staffing

Michigan PT Tax Comparison — Midwest & Beyond

Michigan's 4.25% flat tax is mid-range among Midwest PT compact states. Tax-free housing and meal stipends significantly boost net weekly take-home.

State	Income Tax	PT Compact?	Notes
Michigan	4.25% flat	✓ Yes	Moderate; Compact Privilege available
Indiana	3.05% flat	✓ Yes	Lower tax; also Compact
Tennessee	0%	✓ Yes	No income tax — highest take-home
Wisconsin	3.54–7.65%	✓ Yes	Graduated; stipend strategy helps
Ohio	2.765–3.99%	✓ Yes	Lower than MI
Minnesota	5.35–9.85%	✓ Yes	Highest Midwest; stipend needed
California	7–13.3%	✗ No	Non-compact; full license required

Why Travel PTs Choose Michigan

From IRF rehab to Upper Peninsula crisis pay, Michigan offers some of the most clinically advanced and financially rewarding PT travel opportunities in the Midwest.

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Mary Free Bed — Michigan's Premier IRF

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids is Michigan's #1 inpatient rehab facility and one of the top IRFs in the Midwest. Travel PTs work complex SCI, TBI, stroke, and amputee rehabilitation cases. Specialized programs: wheelchair seating, driver rehab, adaptive sports. IRF experience required — complex cases from day one.

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Michigan Medicine — Cardiac & Transplant PT

University of Michigan Health is a top-5 academic center. Acute care PT covers LVAD, heart transplant, liver transplant, and ICU early mobility — among the most complex PT caseloads in the Midwest. The U-M IRF handles stroke, TBI, and SCI from across the region. Acute care experience (2+ years) required.

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Upper Peninsula Crisis — $3,000–$3,500/wk

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is a federal Health Professional Shortage Area for PT. Marquette, Escanaba, and Iron Mountain have persistent solo PT vacancies. Travel rates reach $3,000–$3,500/week — among the highest rural PT pay nationally. Long-term contracts (26+ weeks) common. Housing stipend provided.

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PT Compact + 4.25% Flat Tax

Michigan is a PT Compact member — PTs with Compact Privilege can start practicing in Michigan without a separate full license (if home state is also compact). The 4.25% flat income tax is moderate and predictable. Combined with tax-free housing and meal stipends, Michigan PT packages deliver strong net take-home.

Key Michigan PT Facilities & Demand Drivers

Michigan's PT market spans world-class academic IRFs, high-volume orthopedic surgical centers, automotive industry PT, and rural HPSA shortage areas.

Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan Health) — Ann Arbor

Top-5 academic medical center. Acute care PT: post-cardiac surgery mobilization, ICU early mobilization (LVAD, heart transplant, liver transplant), oncology PT. IRF: stroke, TBI, SCI cases from across Michigan and the Midwest. Sports PT: U-M Big Ten athletics program. Requires 2+ years acute care experience for most roles.

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital — Grand Rapids

Michigan's premier IRF. Nationally recognized SCI, TBI, stroke, and amputee rehabilitation PT. Specialized programs: wheelchair seating, driver rehabilitation, adaptive sports PT. Major travel PT destination — complex caseload, advanced skills required. 2+ years IRF or acute care experience mandatory.

Corewell Health (Beaumont/Spectrum) — Multiple Sites, Southeast Michigan

Orthopedic PT: knee replacement, hip replacement, spine surgery post-op PT. High surgical volume across southeast Michigan. Outpatient orthopedic PT is Beaumont's highest-volume PT niche. Travel PTs cover inpatient and outpatient Beaumont sites across Royal Oak, Dearborn, Taylor, and Troy.

Henry Ford Health — Detroit

Orthopedic and sports PT (Henry Ford Allegiance Orthopaedics). Neurological PT: stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease rehab. Occupational health PT at automotive manufacturing sites — Ford, GM, and Stellantis plant ergonomic programs. Industrial PT is a consistent niche in metro Detroit.

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital — Grand Rapids

Pediatric PT: cerebral palsy, spina bifida, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, sports injuries in adolescent athletes. NICU developmental PT. Travel pediatric PT assignments here require pediatric or NICU experience — not a general acute care assignment.

Sparrow / McLaren Health Care — Lansing & Flint

Acute care PT and SNF PT across the Lansing and Flint corridors. Flint water crisis legacy: lead exposure neurological sequelae creating ongoing pediatric and adult PT demand at McLaren Flint. SNF volume is high across mid-Michigan.

Upper Peninsula — Marquette, Escanaba, Iron Mountain, Sault Ste. Marie

Federal HPSA designation for PT. Travel PT pays $3,000–$3,500/week — among the highest rural PT rates in the country. Sole-community hospital PT positions. SNF PT and home health PT also available. Winter sports injuries (snowmobile trauma, skiing, ice hockey) add acute demand December–March. Long-term contracts (26+ weeks) are the norm.

Automotive Industry PT — Metro Detroit

Ford, GM, and Stellantis plant occupational/industrial PT: ergonomic assessments, work hardening programs, return-to-work PT. Common injuries: repetitive strain (shoulder, wrist, elbow) and lifting-related lumbar injuries. Industrial PT is a niche but consistent and well-compensated segment of Michigan's PT market.

MSU Athletics PT — East Lansing

Michigan State University Big Ten sports PT. Orthopedic sports PT for football, basketball, hockey, and track programs. Contract PT coverage for athletic events. Sports PT travel assignments in East Lansing typically align with academic year contracts.

Neurological PT Demand — MS & Parkinson's

Michigan has above-average MS (multiple sclerosis) prevalence linked to northern latitude and low vitamin D levels. MS PT demand at Michigan Medicine and Henry Ford is above the national average. Parkinson's disease PT (LSVT BIG certified) is also in high demand across Michigan outpatient neurology practices.

Michigan Travel PT Pay by Setting (2026)

Weekly pay includes base hourly + tax-free housing and meal stipends. Actual packages vary by agency, contract length, and facility bill rate.

Setting	Weekly Pay	Demand	Notes
Upper Peninsula Crisis	$3,000–$3,500/wk	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	HPSA; Marquette, Escanaba, Iron Mountain
IRF / Inpatient Rehab	$2,200–$2,800/wk	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Mary Free Bed, Michigan Medicine IRF
Acute Care / ICU PT	$2,100–$2,700/wk	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Michigan Medicine cardiac/transplant PT
Orthopedic Outpatient	$1,900–$2,400/wk	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Beaumont/Corewell surgical volume
Home Health PT	$1,900–$2,500/wk	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Large aging population statewide
SNF / Long-Term Care	$1,900–$2,400/wk	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	High Medicare SNF volume
Pediatric / School PT	$1,900–$2,300/wk	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Helen DeVos, school-based IEP PT

Open Michigan PT Jobs

Live physical therapist travel assignments in Michigan — updated every 4 hours from our active job database.

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Michigan PT Jobs Being Updated

Our Michigan PT job inventory is refreshing. New assignments are added daily — contact a recruiter for the most current Michigan PT openings.

Contact a Michigan PT Recruiter

View all Michigan PT jobs →

♿ Featured Facility

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital — Grand Rapids

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital is Michigan's premier inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) and consistently ranked among the top 25 IRFs in the United States. Travel PTs at Mary Free Bed work with the most complex rehabilitation caseloads in the Midwest — patients transferred from ICUs and acute care hospitals statewide and regionally.

Specialized PT Programs at Mary Free Bed

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) PT — Complete and incomplete SCI rehabilitation. Functional mobility, wheelchair skills, ADL training, standing programs.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) PT — Cognitive-motor rehabilitation. Balance, gait retraining, vestibular PT, return-to-function programs.
Stroke Rehabilitation PT — Hemiplegia PT, constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), gait training with body-weight support systems.
Amputee Rehabilitation PT — Unilateral and bilateral amputee PT. Prosthetic training, pre-prosthetic strengthening, functional mobility.
Wheelchair Seating & Mobility PT — Specialized seating clinic. Power and manual wheelchair evaluations, pressure mapping, custom seating.
Driver Rehabilitation PT — Adapted driver evaluation and training for individuals with physical disabilities. One of only a few programs in Michigan.
Adaptive Sports PT — Para-sports conditioning, return-to-sport PT for athletes with disabilities, wheelchair sports.

Mary Free Bed Experience Requirement:Travel PT positions at Mary Free Bed require a minimum of 2 years of IRF or acute care inpatient PT experience. This is not an entry-level travel assignment. Caseloads are complex from the first shift.

🌲 Crisis Pay Region

Michigan Upper Peninsula PT Shortage — $3,000–$3,500/wk

Michigan's Upper Peninsula (UP) is federally designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) for physical therapy. The region's combination of geographic isolation, aging rural population, and limited ability to recruit permanent staff creates persistent PT vacancies across hospitals, SNFs, and home health agencies.

Upper Peninsula PT Vacancy Cities

Marquette

Escanaba

Iron Mountain

Sault Ste. Marie

Ironwood

Houghton

Newberry

Munising

What Drives UP PT Demand

➤Aging rural population — Above-average proportion of elderly residents requiring post-acute PT, home health PT, and SNF PT.
➤Sole-community hospitals — Many UP hospitals are the only acute care facility for 50+ miles. PT vacancies directly affect hospital operations.
➤Winter sports injuries (December–March) — Snowmobile trauma is a major acute PT driver. Snowmobile collisions, skiing injuries, and ice hockey trauma create seasonal acute care PT demand at UP hospitals.
➤Outdoor recreation injuries year-round — ATV accidents, hunting injuries, and farm-related trauma sustain acute PT volume outside winter months.
➤Limited permanent PT recruitment — Geographic isolation, harsh winters, and limited specialist spousal employment options make permanent PT recruitment extremely difficult — creating structural travel PT demand.

$3,000–$3,500

Weekly package

26+ weeks

Typical contract length

HPSA

Federal shortage designation

Michigan PT Licensure — Compact Privilege vs. Full Endorsement

Michigan joined the PT Compact, giving most US-licensed PTs a streamlined path to practice in the state. Understanding the two licensure tracks helps you plan your contract timeline.

PT Compact Privilege (Recommended)

➤Available if your home state license is in a PT Compact member state
➤Apply at PTCompact.com — faster processing than full endorsement
➤No separate Michigan license required — Compact Privilege IS your authorization to practice
➤Must maintain active, unencumbered home state license in good standing
➤Compact Privilege is deactivated automatically if your home state license lapses

Full Michigan PT Endorsement

➤Required if your home state is NOT a PT Compact member
➤Apply through the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy (Michigan LARA)
➤Processing: 6–10 weeks from complete application submission
➤Requirements: current PT license, NPTE verification, background check, CPR documentation
➤Plan licensure 8–10 weeks ahead of your desired Michigan contract start date

Pro Tip: If you're currently licensed in a non-compact state but plan to take multiple Michigan contracts over the next 2–3 years, consider transferring your primary PT license to a compact home state. This gives you single-license access to all 40+ PT Compact member states going forward.

Michigan PT Market Specialties — Automotive & Neurological Niches

Beyond traditional hospital and outpatient settings, Michigan has two unique PT market niches that create specialized travel PT demand not found in most other states.

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Automotive Industrial PT — Metro Detroit

Metro Detroit is the only major US metro where occupational/industrial PT is embedded directly inside automotive manufacturing plants. Ford, GM, and Stellantis operate on-site physical therapy programs at their largest facilities in Dearborn, Warren, Flint, and Lansing.

Common Industrial PT Caseload

Repetitive strain injuries — shoulder rotator cuff, lateral epicondylitis, carpal tunnel
Lumbar spine injuries from lifting and awkward postures on the line
Ergonomic workstation assessments and job site analysis
Work hardening and functional capacity evaluations (FCE)
Return-to-work PT coordination with occupational medicine physicians

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Neurological PT — MS & Parkinson's Demand

Michigan has above-average multiple sclerosis prevalence — a pattern seen across northern US states linked to reduced sun exposure and low vitamin D levels. This creates consistent neurological PT demand at Michigan Medicine, Henry Ford, and outpatient neurology clinics statewide.

Neurological PT Specialties in Demand

Multiple sclerosis PT — fatigue management, gait training, balance rehab
Parkinson's disease PT — LSVT BIG certification preferred, PWR! Moves
Post-stroke gait retraining and ADL functional mobility
Vestibular PT and dizziness rehabilitation
ALS PT — adaptive equipment, falls prevention, respiratory support

Tips for Landing Your Michigan PT Travel Contract

Before You Apply

1Verify Compact status — Confirm your home state PT license is active and your state is a PT Compact member at PTCompact.com. Apply for Compact Privilege before your Michigan start date.
2Match setting to experience — Mary Free Bed and Michigan Medicine require 2+ years IRF or acute care experience. Be honest about your background — mismatched placements hurt everyone.
3UP contracts need housing planning — The Upper Peninsula has very limited short-term rental inventory. Confirm housing stipend and work with your agency on housing BEFORE accepting an UP contract.

Negotiating Your Package

4Request itemized breakdown — Ask your recruiter for the split between taxable hourly pay, housing stipend, and meal stipend. IRS-compliant stipends are only valid if you maintain a tax home.
5Winter timing for UP — Upper Peninsula snowmobile trauma season (December–March) creates the highest acute acute care PT demand — and sometimes surge pay. Ask about seasonal rate adjustments if you start in late fall.
6Compare Michigan to Indiana — Indiana's 3.05% flat tax vs. Michigan's 4.25% can mean $1,000–$2,000/year difference on the same gross package. Worth running the numbers if you're flexible on state.

Michigan Travel PT — Frequently Asked Questions

How much do travel PTs make in Michigan?

$1,900–$3,500/week depending on setting. Upper Peninsula sole-community hospitals: $3,000–$3,500/week (federal HPSA). IRF (Mary Free Bed, Michigan Medicine): $2,200–$2,800/week. Acute care hospital PT: $2,100–$2,700/week. Outpatient orthopedic and SNF: $1,900–$2,400/week. Michigan's PT Compact membership means most PTs can start working without a separate full license.

Is Michigan a PT Compact state?

Yes — Michigan is a PT Compact member state. PTs who hold a license in any compact home state can apply for Compact Privilege to practice in Michigan at PTCompact.com. Processing is faster than full endorsement. PTs whose home state is not compact must apply for full Michigan licensure through the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy (6–10 weeks).

What is Mary Free Bed and why do travel PTs go there?

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids is Michigan's premier IRF (Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility) and one of the top 25 IRFs in the US. Travel PTs treat complex SCI (spinal cord injury), TBI (traumatic brain injury), stroke, and bilateral amputee patients. Specialized programs include wheelchair seating, driver rehabilitation, and adaptive sports PT. Mary Free Bed requires 2+ years IRF or acute care experience — it is not an entry-level assignment.

What is the Upper Peninsula PT shortage?

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is a federally designated HPSA (Health Professional Shortage Area) for physical therapy. Cities including Marquette, Escanaba, Iron Mountain, and Sault Ste. Marie have persistent PT vacancies. Travel PT pays $3,000–$3,500/week — among the highest rural PT rates in the country. Positions are in hospitals, SNFs, and home health. Long-term contracts (26+ weeks) are common. Winter sports injuries (snowmobile trauma, skiing, ice hockey) add acute demand from December–March.

What cities in Michigan hire the most travel PTs?

Ann Arbor (Michigan Medicine — highest complexity, academic center); Grand Rapids (Mary Free Bed IRF, Corewell/Spectrum, Helen DeVos); Detroit/Royal Oak (Henry Ford, Beaumont Dearborn, DMC); Lansing (Sparrow, McLaren); Flint (McLaren Flint); Kalamazoo (Bronson Methodist); Marquette/Escanaba (Upper Peninsula crisis — highest pay).

Michigan PT Travel Jobs by City

Michigan's PT market spans from dense metro Detroit health systems to rural Upper Peninsula sole-community hospitals. Here's where travel PTs are placed most frequently.