29 Series · SOC 29-1122

Occupational Therapists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$100,330
Median / year
+2%
2024→2025
$131,950
Top 10% earn
+13.8%
Growth '24–'34
162,450
Estimated US jobs

Occupational Therapists earn a median of $100,330 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $100,330, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $71,690 (10th percentile) to $131,950 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 162,450 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($124,510).

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Occupational Therapists earn a median of $100,330, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 84% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #36 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 13.8% by 2034.

$100,330
Median annual wage
Top 16%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#36 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
1.8×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $124,510. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Occupational Therapists moved from $84,950 in May 2019 to $100,330 in May 2025 (+18.1%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Occupational Therapists sits -6.3 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) has a national median of $100,330 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $71,690 to $131,950, and the published mean is $101,280. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 162,450 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 491 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $98,340 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $100,330 in May 2025, a rise of $1,990 (+2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +13.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 10,200 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $124,510, which is +24% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $136,870. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 162,450 jobs Median $100,330/yr

Median Salary

$100,330

per year

Median Hourly

$48.24/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$101,280

average

Employment

162,450

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Occupational Therapists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$100,330 Top 16% higher than 84% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 (this entry) 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$100,330 · 84th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Occupational Therapists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Occupational Therapists sits on the faster-growing side at +13.8% growth and $100,330 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Registered Nurses - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $97550Licensed Practical a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $64400Pharmacy Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45750Physicians, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $265930Clinical Laboratory … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $62930Nurse Practitioners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 40.1% · Median annual wage: $132300Pharmacists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $140910Physical Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.9% · Median annual wage: $102760Radiologic Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $80110Dental Hygienists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7% · Median annual wage: $98100Medical Records Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.1% · Median annual wage: $51140Speech-Language Path… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15% · Median annual wage: $97870Health Technologists… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.2% · Median annual wage: $50290Emergency Medical Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $44470Occupational Therapi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13.8% · Median annual wage: $100330Physician Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20.4% · Median annual wage: $135880Psychiatric Technici… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20% · Median annual wage: $45130Respiratory Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.1% · Median annual wage: $82280Veterinary Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.1% · Median annual wage: $47380Dentists, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $170950Surgical Technologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64650Family Medicine Phys… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.7% · Median annual wage: $244180Paramedics - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $60600Diagnostic Medical S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13% · Median annual wage: $96590
Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Occupational Therapists sits on the faster-growing side at +13.8% growth and $100,330 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
  • Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
  • Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
  • Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
  • Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
  • Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
  • Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
  • Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
  • Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
  • Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
  • Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
  • Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
  • Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
  • Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
  • Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
  • Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
  • Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
  • Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
  • Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
  • Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
  • Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
  • Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
  • Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
  • Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+13.8%

Much faster than average

Annual Openings

10,200

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+22,100

160,000 (2024) → 182,100 (2034)

Typical Education

Master's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Occupational Therapists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.1
Monitoring 4.1
Service Orientation 4.1
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Writing 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Social Perceptiveness 4.0
Instructing 4.0
Judgment and Decision Making 4.0

Knowledge Areas

Therapy and Counseling 4.7
Psychology 4.5
Customer and Personal Service 4.3
Medicine and Dentistry 4.2
English Language 4.1
Education and Training 3.9
Biology 3.5
Sociology and Anthropology 3.2
Administration and Management 2.8
Administrative 2.8

Key Tasks

  • Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
  • Complete and maintain necessary records.
  • Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
  • Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
  • Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
  • Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.
  • Train caregivers in providing for the needs of a patient during and after therapy.
  • Lay out materials such as puzzles, scissors and eating utensils for use in therapy, and clean and repair these tools after therapy sessions.
  • Consult with rehabilitation team to select activity programs or coordinate occupational therapy with other therapeutic activities.
  • Design and create, or requisition, special supplies and equipment, such as splints, braces, and computer-aided adaptive equipment.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$71,690
25th$82,510
Median$100,330
75th$116,670
90th$131,950

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$34.47
25th$39.67
Median$48.24
75th$56.09
90th$63.44

Occupational Therapists pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$75,000$80,000$85,000$90,000$95,000$100,000$105,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $80,150National median - 2016: $81,910National median - 2017: $83,200National median - 2018: $84,270National median - 2019: $84,950National median - 2020: $86,280National median - 2021: $85,570National median - 2022: $93,180National median - 2023: $96,370National median - 2024: $98,340National median - 2025: $100,330$100,330
National median annual wage for Occupational Therapists, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $80,150
2016 $81,910
2017 $83,200
2018 $84,270
2019 $84,950
2020 $86,280
2021 $85,570
2022 $93,180
2023 $96,370
2024 $98,340
2025 $100,330

2015 median

$80,150

2025 median

$100,330

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$15,380 (+18.1%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+2.8%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Occupational Therapists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $80,150 First banked release 114,660
May 2016 $81,910 +2.2% 118,070
May 2017 $83,200 +1.6% 126,050
May 2018 $84,270 +1.3% 126,900
May 2019 $84,950 Classification break 133,570
May 2020 $86,280 +1.6% 126,610
May 2021 $85,570 -0.8% 127,830
May 2022 $93,180 +8.9% 134,980
May 2023 $96,370 +3.4% 144,840
May 2024 $98,340 +2.0% 152,280
May 2025 $100,330 +2.0% 162,450

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $80,150 in May 2015 to $100,330 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.8% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 133,570 in May 2019 to 162,450 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 52 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $124,510 +24% above national
2 Oregon $112,310 +12% above national
3 Nevada $110,520 +10% above national
4 District of Columbia $109,170 +9% above national
5 Washington $107,670 +7% above national
6 Maryland $106,980 +7% above national
7 Colorado $106,720 +6% above national
8 Arkansas $106,360 +6% above national
9 Texas $106,140 +6% above national
10 Oklahoma $104,300 +4% above national
11 Georgia $104,010 +4% above national
12 Alaska $103,680 +3% above national
13 Arizona $103,660 +3% above national
14 New Jersey $103,410 +3% above national
15 Hawaii $102,870 +3% above national
16 Connecticut $102,440 +2% above national
17 Delaware $102,130 +2% above national
18 South Carolina $101,130 +1% above national
19 Massachusetts $100,930 +1% above national
20 Virginia $100,710 same as national
21 Rhode Island $100,040 same as national
22 Illinois $99,700 1% below national
23 Ohio $99,390 1% below national
24 Florida $99,360 1% below national
25 Kansas $99,170 1% below national
26 New Mexico $99,170 1% below national
27 Louisiana $98,490 2% below national
28 Pennsylvania $98,440 2% below national
29 Idaho $97,760 3% below national
30 Tennessee $97,700 3% below national
31 Kentucky $97,650 3% below national
32 Missouri $97,290 3% below national
33 Utah $97,150 3% below national
34 Indiana $97,020 3% below national
35 New York $96,390 4% below national
36 West Virginia $96,190 4% below national
37 Mississippi $94,930 5% below national
38 Alabama $94,050 6% below national
39 Nebraska $93,740 7% below national
40 Vermont $93,340 7% below national
41 Minnesota $93,050 7% below national
42 North Carolina $92,940 7% below national
43 Wisconsin $92,390 8% below national
44 Iowa $89,910 10% below national
45 Michigan $89,910 10% below national
46 Montana $88,990 11% below national
47 Wyoming $86,170 14% below national
48 South Dakota $85,050 15% below national
49 Maine $84,310 16% below national
50 New Hampshire $83,900 16% below national
51 North Dakota $83,200 17% below national
52 Puerto Rico $51,850 48% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 365 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $136,870 +36% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $136,770 +36% above national
3 Vallejo, CA $135,000 +35% above national
4 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $130,420 +30% above national
5 Chico, CA $129,260 +29% above national
6 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $128,010 +28% above national
7 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $125,890 +25% above national
8 Napa, CA $124,490 +24% above national
9 Boulder, CO $123,490 +23% above national
10 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $123,200 +23% above national
11 Salinas, CA $123,180 +23% above national
12 Stockton-Lodi, CA $122,990 +23% above national
13 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $122,780 +22% above national
14 Visalia, CA $122,690 +22% above national
15 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $122,050 +22% above national
16 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $122,040 +22% above national
17 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $121,680 +21% above national
18 Modesto, CA $121,110 +21% above national
19 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $120,570 +20% above national
20 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $119,530 +19% above national
21 Merced, CA $117,970 +18% above national
22 Fresno, CA $116,690 +16% above national
23 Bend, OR $114,870 +14% above national
24 Longview, TX $112,760 +12% above national
25 Santa Fe, NM $112,240 +12% above national
26 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $112,100 +12% above national
27 Dalton, GA $111,580 +11% above national
28 Spartanburg, SC $111,540 +11% above national
29 Yakima, WA $111,400 +11% above national
30 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $110,520 +10% above national
31 Redding, CA $110,230 +10% above national
32 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $110,170 +10% above national
33 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $109,860 +9% above national
34 Salem, OR $109,700 +9% above national
35 Odessa, TX $109,220 +9% above national
36 Reno, NV $109,090 +9% above national
37 Las Cruces, NM $108,630 +8% above national
38 Tulsa, OK $108,350 +8% above national
39 Eugene-Springfield, OR $107,980 +8% above national
40 Gettysburg, PA $107,880 +8% above national
41 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $107,830 +7% above national
42 Yuba City, CA $107,760 +7% above national
43 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $107,650 +7% above national
44 Naples-Marco Island, FL $107,590 +7% above national
45 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $107,500 +7% above national
46 Grand Junction, CO $107,380 +7% above national
47 Winchester, VA-WV $106,540 +6% above national
48 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $106,530 +6% above national
49 Jonesboro, AR $106,360 +6% above national
50 Lexington Park, MD $106,320 +6% above national
51 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $106,160 +6% above national
52 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $106,110 +6% above national
53 Texarkana, TX-AR $106,060 +6% above national
54 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $105,830 +5% above national
55 Colorado Springs, CO $105,780 +5% above national
56 Midland, TX $105,670 +5% above national
57 Richmond, VA $105,550 +5% above national
58 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $105,490 +5% above national
59 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $105,460 +5% above national
60 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $105,240 +5% above national
61 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $105,060 +5% above national
62 Bellingham, WA $105,020 +5% above national
63 Abilene, TX $104,740 +4% above national
64 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $104,680 +4% above national
65 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $104,420 +4% above national
66 Salisbury, MD $104,400 +4% above national
67 Corpus Christi, TX $104,150 +4% above national
68 St. George, UT $104,040 +4% above national
69 Greeley, CO $104,030 +4% above national
70 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $104,030 +4% above national
71 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $104,000 +4% above national
72 Fairbanks-College, AK $103,850 +4% above national
73 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $103,840 +3% above national
74 Victoria, TX $103,800 +3% above national
75 Anchorage, AK $103,680 +3% above national
76 Homosassa Springs, FL $103,680 +3% above national
77 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $103,580 +3% above national
78 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $103,140 +3% above national
79 Oklahoma City, OK $103,080 +3% above national
80 Flagstaff, AZ $103,070 +3% above national
81 Cleveland, OH $103,060 +3% above national
82 Lynchburg, VA $103,060 +3% above national
83 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $102,960 +3% above national
84 Ithaca, NY $102,910 +3% above national
85 Barnstable Town, MA $102,900 +3% above national
86 Urban Honolulu, HI $102,870 +3% above national
87 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $102,840 +3% above national
88 Springfield, IL $102,810 +2% above national
89 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $102,680 +2% above national
90 New Haven, CT $102,680 +2% above national
91 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $102,670 +2% above national
92 Columbia, SC $102,650 +2% above national
93 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $102,550 +2% above national
94 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $102,520 +2% above national
95 Kennewick-Richland, WA $102,460 +2% above national
96 Lancaster, PA $102,460 +2% above national
97 Amarillo, TX $102,380 +2% above national
98 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $102,340 +2% above national
99 Battle Creek, MI $102,230 +2% above national
100 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $101,940 +2% above national
101 Wichita Falls, TX $101,720 +1% above national
102 El Paso, TX $101,530 +1% above national
103 Florence, SC $101,510 +1% above national
104 Waco, TX $101,500 +1% above national
105 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $101,480 +1% above national
106 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $101,460 +1% above national
107 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $101,370 +1% above national
108 Greenville, NC $101,360 +1% above national
109 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $101,360 +1% above national
110 Tyler, TX $101,220 +1% above national
111 Sherman-Denison, TX $101,150 +1% above national
112 Athens-Clarke County, GA $101,080 +1% above national
113 Lawrence, KS $101,060 +1% above national
114 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $100,980 +1% above national
115 Charlottesville, VA $100,930 +1% above national
116 Tucson, AZ $100,920 +1% above national
117 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $100,870 +1% above national
118 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $100,850 +1% above national
119 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $100,820 same as national
120 Medford, OR $100,820 same as national
121 Rocky Mount, NC $100,780 same as national
122 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $100,760 same as national
123 Tuscaloosa, AL $100,760 same as national
124 Macon-Bibb County, GA $100,680 same as national
125 Wheeling, WV-OH $100,680 same as national
126 Coeur d'Alene, ID $100,640 same as national
127 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $100,630 same as national
128 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $100,570 same as national
129 Punta Gorda, FL $100,430 same as national
130 Pueblo, CO $100,340 same as national
131 Toledo, OH $100,340 same as national
132 Twin Falls, ID $100,310 same as national
133 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $100,160 same as national
134 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $100,080 same as national
135 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $100,040 same as national
136 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $99,980 same as national
137 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $99,960 same as national
138 Port St. Lucie, FL $99,940 same as national
139 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $99,880 same as national
140 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $99,860 same as national
141 Kansas City, MO-KS $99,840 same as national
142 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $99,570 1% below national
143 San Angelo, TX $99,570 1% below national
144 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $99,520 1% below national
145 Rome, GA $99,490 1% below national
146 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $99,460 1% below national
147 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $99,400 1% below national
148 Jacksonville, FL $99,340 1% below national
149 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $99,310 1% below national
150 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $99,280 1% below national
151 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $99,250 1% below national
152 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $99,230 1% below national
153 York-Hanover, PA $99,180 1% below national
154 Albuquerque, NM $99,170 1% below national
155 Rapid City, SD $99,120 1% below national
156 Topeka, KS $99,070 1% below national
157 Yuma, AZ $99,010 1% below national
158 Wichita, KS $99,000 1% below national
159 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $98,990 1% below national
160 Monroe, LA $98,980 1% below national
161 Lawton, OK $98,940 1% below national
162 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $98,930 1% below national
163 Columbus, OH $98,920 1% below national
164 Lebanon, PA $98,860 1% below national
165 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $98,800 2% below national
166 Harrisonburg, VA $98,780 2% below national
167 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $98,710 2% below national
168 Williamsport, PA $98,580 2% below national
169 Columbia, MO $98,550 2% below national
170 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $98,530 2% below national
171 Akron, OH $98,520 2% below national
172 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $98,500 2% below national
173 Alexandria, LA $98,490 2% below national
174 Gainesville, GA $98,490 2% below national
175 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $98,450 2% below national
176 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $98,440 2% below national
177 Jackson, MS $98,340 2% below national
178 Worcester, MA $98,300 2% below national
179 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $98,240 2% below national
180 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $98,240 2% below national
181 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $98,090 2% below national
182 Canton-Massillon, OH $98,040 2% below national
183 Baton Rouge, LA $98,030 2% below national
184 Boise City, ID $98,020 2% below national
185 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $98,010 2% below national
186 Roanoke, VA $98,010 2% below national
187 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $98,000 2% below national
188 College Station-Bryan, TX $97,870 2% below national
189 Fort Smith, AR-OK $97,740 3% below national
190 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $97,720 3% below national
191 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $97,720 3% below national
192 Auburn-Opelika, AL $97,600 3% below national
193 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $97,550 3% below national
194 Bloomington, IN $97,480 3% below national
195 Clarksville, TN-KY $97,470 3% below national
196 Decatur, AL $97,460 3% below national
197 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $97,370 3% below national
198 Warner Robins, GA $97,340 3% below national
199 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $97,290 3% below national
200 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $97,240 3% below national
201 Springfield, MO $97,200 3% below national
202 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $97,130 3% below national
203 Gainesville, FL $97,130 3% below national
204 Killeen-Temple, TX $97,040 3% below national
205 Chambersburg, PA $97,020 3% below national
206 Peoria, IL $96,920 3% below national
207 Greensboro-High Point, NC $96,820 3% below national
208 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $96,790 4% below national
209 Laredo, TX $96,760 4% below national
210 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $96,740 4% below national
211 Rockford, IL $96,620 4% below national
212 Lubbock, TX $96,560 4% below national
213 Springfield, MA $96,450 4% below national
214 Lincoln, NE $96,320 4% below national
215 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $96,310 4% below national
216 Logan, UT-ID $96,200 4% below national
217 Saginaw, MI $96,070 4% below national
218 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $96,040 4% below national
219 Chattanooga, TN-GA $95,960 4% below national
220 Sebring, FL $95,960 4% below national
221 Ann Arbor, MI $95,950 4% below national
222 Ogden, UT $95,940 4% below national
223 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $95,860 4% below national
224 Savannah, GA $95,830 4% below national
225 Lexington-Fayette, KY $95,820 4% below national
226 Pittsfield, MA $95,820 4% below national
227 St. Louis, MO-IL $95,770 5% below national
228 Owensboro, KY $95,740 5% below national
229 Madison, WI $95,670 5% below national
230 Dover, DE $95,610 5% below national
231 Elizabethtown, KY $95,550 5% below national
232 Tallahassee, FL $95,550 5% below national
233 Reading, PA $95,470 5% below national
234 Vineland, NJ $95,440 5% below national
235 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $95,420 5% below national
236 Birmingham, AL $95,250 5% below national
237 Kingston, NY $95,200 5% below national
238 Glens Falls, NY $95,110 5% below national
239 Jefferson City, MO $95,110 5% below national
240 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $95,070 5% below national
241 Johnson City, TN $94,940 5% below national
242 State College, PA $94,940 5% below national
243 Bozeman, MT $94,880 5% below national
244 Janesville-Beloit, WI $94,750 6% below national
245 Ocala, FL $94,630 6% below national
246 Columbus, GA-AL $94,580 6% below national
247 Knoxville, TN $94,490 6% below national
248 Idaho Falls, ID $94,480 6% below national
249 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $94,450 6% below national
250 Terre Haute, IN $94,410 6% below national
251 Morgantown, WV $94,330 6% below national
252 Springfield, OH $94,330 6% below national
253 Paducah, KY-IL $94,250 6% below national
254 Dubuque, IA $94,210 6% below national
255 Muncie, IN $94,050 6% below national
256 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $94,020 6% below national
257 St. Cloud, MN $93,950 6% below national
258 Montgomery, AL $93,910 6% below national
259 Beckley, WV $93,820 6% below national
260 Winston-Salem, NC $93,780 7% below national
261 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $93,750 7% below national
262 Omaha, NE-IA $93,650 7% below national
263 Huntsville, AL $93,620 7% below national
264 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $93,600 7% below national
265 Farmington, NM $93,590 7% below national
266 Erie, PA $93,560 7% below national
267 Cheyenne, WY $93,430 7% below national
268 Joplin, MO-KS $93,410 7% below national
269 Kenosha, WI $93,120 7% below national
270 Morristown, TN $93,010 7% below national
271 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $92,680 8% below national
272 St. Joseph, MO-KS $92,640 8% below national
273 Eau Claire, WI $92,610 8% below national
274 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $92,600 8% below national
275 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $92,580 8% below national
276 Valdosta, GA $92,430 8% below national
277 Kokomo, IN $92,320 8% below national
278 Youngstown-Warren, OH $92,200 8% below national
279 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $91,670 9% below national
280 Iowa City, IA $91,560 9% below national
281 Charleston, WV $91,520 9% below national
282 Pittsburgh, PA $90,860 9% below national
283 Pocatello, ID $90,740 10% below national
284 Sandusky, OH $90,710 10% below national
285 Mobile, AL $90,630 10% below national
286 Appleton, WI $90,310 10% below national
287 Bloomington, IL $90,060 10% below national
288 Wausau, WI $90,030 10% below national
289 Evansville, IN $89,850 10% below national
290 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $89,720 11% below national
291 Minot, ND $89,670 11% below national
292 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $89,600 11% below national
293 Dothan, AL $89,380 11% below national
294 Green Bay, WI $88,730 12% below national
295 Manhattan, KS $88,610 12% below national
296 Niles, MI $88,360 12% below national
297 Mankato, MN $87,770 13% below national
298 Gadsden, AL $87,620 13% below national
299 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $87,390 13% below national
300 Jackson, TN $87,360 13% below national
301 Missoula, MT $87,300 13% below national
302 Grand Island, NE $87,190 13% below national
303 Altoona, PA $86,900 13% below national
304 Goldsboro, NC $86,870 13% below national
305 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $86,590 14% below national
306 Fort Wayne, IN $86,580 14% below national
307 Portland-South Portland, ME $86,530 14% below national
308 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $86,490 14% below national
309 Wilmington, NC $86,420 14% below national
310 Binghamton, NY $86,390 14% below national
311 Syracuse, NY $86,110 14% below national
312 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $85,990 14% below national
313 Utica-Rome, NY $85,920 14% below national
314 Lafayette, LA $85,710 15% below national
315 Flint, MI $85,550 15% below national
316 Jacksonville, NC $85,540 15% below national
317 Casper, WY $85,450 15% below national
318 Billings, MT $85,340 15% below national
319 Rochester, MN $85,000 15% below national
320 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $84,960 15% below national
321 Lima, OH $84,890 15% below national
322 Monroe, MI $84,780 15% below national
323 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $84,690 16% below national
324 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $84,660 16% below national
325 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $84,630 16% below national
326 Sheboygan, WI $84,520 16% below national
327 Duluth, MN-WI $84,440 16% below national
328 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $84,310 16% below national
329 Traverse City, MI $84,260 16% below national
330 Bowling Green, KY $84,250 16% below national
331 Johnstown, PA $84,150 16% below national
332 Raleigh-Cary, NC $84,080 16% below national
333 Jackson, MI $83,880 16% below national
334 Lake Charles, LA $83,840 16% below national
335 Asheville, NC $83,660 17% below national
336 Manchester-Nashua, NH $83,520 17% below national
337 Elmira, NY $83,190 17% below national
338 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $83,160 17% below national
339 Bismarck, ND $83,080 17% below national
340 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $82,720 18% below national
341 Burlington, NC $82,640 18% below national
342 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $82,560 18% below national
343 Hot Springs, AR $82,410 18% below national
344 Fargo, ND-MN $81,870 18% below national
345 Rochester, NY $81,750 19% below national
346 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $81,560 19% below national
347 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $81,520 19% below national
348 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $81,450 19% below national
349 Fayetteville, NC $81,240 19% below national
350 Hammond, LA $81,190 19% below national
351 Bay City, MI $80,880 19% below national
352 Grand Forks, ND-MN $80,830 19% below national
353 Bangor, ME $80,780 19% below national
354 Great Falls, MT $80,390 20% below national
355 Champaign-Urbana, IL $80,040 20% below national
356 Cedar Rapids, IA $79,690 21% below national
357 Kankakee, IL $79,620 21% below national
358 Hattiesburg, MS $79,590 21% below national
359 Fond du Lac, WI $79,390 21% below national
360 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $78,770 21% below national
361 Mansfield, OH $78,420 22% below national
362 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $77,900 22% below national
363 Midland, MI $74,670 26% below national
364 Ames, IA $73,810 26% below national
365 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $54,000 46% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($100,330 here) and reported employment (162,450 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Occupational Therapists make?
The median annual salary for Occupational Therapists is $100,330 ($48.24/hour). The salary range spans from $71,690 at the 10th percentile to $131,950 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Occupational Therapists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $100,330, Occupational Therapists pay is higher than 84% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Occupational Therapists the most?
California pays the highest median salary for Occupational Therapists at $124,510/year, which is +24% above the national median.
What education do Occupational Therapists need?
BLS assigns Occupational Therapists to Master's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Occupational Therapists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Occupational Therapists in this release. WageDex shows the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Occupational Therapists a good career?
Employment for Occupational Therapists is projected to grow 13.8% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 10,200 openings are projected each year.
How does Occupational Therapists pay vary by state?
Occupational Therapists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $124,510/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $51,850/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Occupational Therapists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $136,870/year. BLS reports a median for 365 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Occupational Therapists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $116,670/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $124,510/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.