Aspects of a method and system for determining physical layer traversal time are provided. In this regard, duration of a time interval may be determined in the PHY of a network device, where the time interval corresponds to an amount of time that occurs between a first time instant at which information is input to the PHY and a second time instant at which corresponding information is output by the PHY. Communication of data to and/or from the network device may be managed based on the determined duration of the time interval. The duration of the time interval may be determined utilizing one or more counters within the PHY. The determined duration may be stored in one or more registers within the PHY. An amount of data that is processed by the PHY during the time interval may be determined within the PHY.