Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) earn a median $100,330 a year ($48.24 an hour) in the United States, with 162,450 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What occupational therapists do
Occupational therapists help people who are limited by injury, illness, disability or developmental delay to do the everyday things that matter to them, such as daily living skills, homemaking and work. They begin by evaluating a client's physical, cognitive and emotional abilities and the setting in which the person lives or works, then set goals and build a program of practice, adapted tools and changes to the environment. A therapist might teach a stroke survivor to use one hand for meals, recommend grab bars and a raised toilet seat for an older adult, or help a child with sensory difficulties join classroom activities. Programs are run in hospital, institutional or community settings, and O*NET alternate titles point to home health, early intervention and inpatient work. Therapists also train caregivers, prepare progress reports and keep records. Most people in this occupation report a master's degree. The role differs from vocational rehabilitation counseling, which the SOC places in the rehabilitation counselor code.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a master's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (86 percent).
Also called: Assistive Technology Trainer, Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), Early Intervention Occupational Therapist, Home Care Occupational Therapist (Home Care OT), Home Health Occupational Therapist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $34.47 | $39.67 | $48.24 | $56.09 | $63.44 | $48.69 | 162,450 |
| Annual | $71,690 | $82,510 | $100,330 | $116,670 | $131,950 | $101,280 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where occupational therapists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $41.13 | $49.98 | $59.86 | $65.57 | $76.23 | $58.61 | 13,810 | 0.76 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $85,550 | $103,950 | $124,510 | $136,380 | $158,560 | $121,920 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $37.74 | $47.98 | $54.00 | $61.32 | $63.15 | $53.84 | 1,170 | 0.59 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $78,500 | $99,800 | $112,310 | $127,540 | $131,340 | $112,000 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $41.21 | $48.32 | $53.13 | $61.52 | $66.95 | $53.98 | 1,080 | 0.70 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $85,720 | $100,510 | $110,520 | $127,960 | $139,260 | $112,290 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $39.31 | $46.54 | $52.49 | $60.16 | $62.41 | $53.30 | 540 | 0.78 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $81,760 | $96,800 | $109,170 | $125,130 | $129,810 | $110,850 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $39.96 | $45.99 | $51.77 | $61.25 | $65.04 | $52.94 | 3,340 | 0.94 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $83,110 | $95,650 | $107,670 | $127,390 | $135,290 | $110,100 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $41.13 | $49.98 | $59.86 | $65.57 | $76.23 | $58.61 | 13,810 | 0.76 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $85,550 | $103,950 | $124,510 | $136,380 | $158,560 | $121,920 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $36.71 | $41.26 | $51.03 | $61.46 | $65.00 | $51.75 | 13,400 | 0.95 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $76,350 | $85,810 | $106,140 | $127,830 | $135,200 | $107,630 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $31.14 | $37.01 | $46.34 | $55.00 | $64.28 | $46.95 | 11,690 | 1.21 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $64,770 | $76,980 | $96,390 | $114,400 | $133,700 | $97,650 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $31.84 | $39.11 | $47.77 | $50.40 | $56.71 | $45.97 | 10,650 | 1.07 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $66,230 | $81,360 | $99,360 | $104,830 | $117,950 | $95,620 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $35.27 | $39.46 | $47.93 | $52.78 | $63.55 | $47.87 | 7,710 | 1.26 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $73,360 | $82,070 | $99,700 | $109,780 | $132,180 | $99,570 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $46.85 | $60.00 | $65.80 | $78.40 | $81.73 | $66.08 | 840 | 0.74 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $97,450 | $124,800 | $136,870 | $163,070 | $169,990 | $137,450 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $46.27 | $59.40 | $65.76 | $74.54 | $82.43 | $65.50 | 1,560 | 0.66 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $96,250 | $123,550 | $136,770 | $155,030 | $171,460 | $136,250 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $40.80 | $54.91 | $64.90 | $68.23 | $77.63 | $61.91 | 100 | 0.68 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $84,860 | $114,200 | $135,000 | $141,910 | $161,470 | $128,760 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $47.07 | $58.11 | $62.70 | $75.67 | $75.67 | $63.45 | 100 | 1.02 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $97,900 | $120,870 | $130,420 | $157,390 | $157,390 | $131,980 | ||||
| Chico, CA | Hourly | $48.99 | $50.31 | $62.14 | $65.28 | $69.08 | $58.38 | 70 | 0.85 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $101,900 | $104,640 | $129,260 | $135,790 | $143,680 | $121,440 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $34.80 | $40.45 | $48.78 | $61.07 | $69.28 | $51.49 | 11,640 | 1.23 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $72,380 | $84,130 | $101,460 | $127,030 | $144,090 | $107,110 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $35.53 | $39.61 | $48.01 | $53.45 | $65.46 | $48.75 | 5,960 | 1.32 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $73,900 | $82,390 | $99,860 | $111,170 | $136,160 | $101,400 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $39.83 | $47.93 | $58.68 | $63.35 | $74.39 | $56.97 | 4,950 | 0.79 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $82,840 | $99,700 | $122,040 | $131,760 | $154,730 | $118,500 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $35.90 | $40.75 | $49.01 | $53.18 | $62.05 | $48.43 | 4,790 | 1.77 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $74,670 | $84,750 | $101,940 | $110,620 | $129,060 | $100,730 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $37.00 | $40.52 | $51.01 | $60.98 | $70.09 | $52.10 | 3,450 | 0.85 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $76,960 | $84,280 | $106,110 | $126,840 | $145,780 | $108,380 | ||||
Top industries employing occupational therapists
Offices of Other Health Practitioners employ 29.7% of occupational therapists nationally (48,200 jobs) at a median $97,600 a year ($46.92 an hour), followed by General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (21.0%) and Elementary and Secondary Schools (12.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 48,200 | 29.7% | $97,600 | $46.92 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 34,050 | 21.0% | $102,920 | $49.48 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 20,390 | 12.6% | $85,610 | $41.16 |
| Home Health Care Services NAICS 621600 | 13,190 | 8.1% | $106,300 | $51.11 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 12,080 | 7.4% | $105,850 | $50.89 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (162,450). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $85,570 for occupational therapists in May 2021 and $100,330 in May 2025, with employment of 127,830 and 162,450.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $85,570 | $41.14 | 127,830 |
| May 2022 | $93,180 | $44.80 | 134,980 |
| May 2023 | $96,370 | $46.33 | 144,840 |
| May 2024 | $98,340 | $47.28 | 152,280 |
| May 2025 | $100,330 | $48.24 | 162,450 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $59.86 | $124,510 | $85,550 | $158,560 | 13,810 | 0.76 | 0.73 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $54.00 | $112,310 | $78,500 | $131,340 | 1,170 | 0.59 | 0.57 |
| 3 | Nevada profile | $53.13 | $110,520 | $85,720 | $139,260 | 1,080 | 0.70 | 0.67 |
| 4 | District of Columbia profile | $52.49 | $109,170 | $81,760 | $129,810 | 540 | 0.78 | 0.74 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $51.77 | $107,670 | $83,110 | $135,290 | 3,340 | 0.94 | 0.90 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $51.43 | $106,980 | $76,650 | $132,300 | 2,390 | 0.86 | 0.83 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $51.31 | $106,720 | $81,390 | $157,820 | 3,390 | 1.18 | 1.13 |
| 8 | Arkansas profile | $51.14 | $106,360 | $65,160 | $144,250 | 2,160 | 1.66 | 1.59 |
| 9 | Texas profile | $51.03 | $106,140 | $76,350 | $135,200 | 13,400 | 0.95 | 0.91 |
| 10 | Oklahoma profile | $50.14 | $104,300 | $68,530 | $134,420 | 1,180 | 0.69 | 0.66 |
| 11 | Georgia profile | $50.01 | $104,010 | $75,290 | $128,610 | 3,650 | 0.75 | 0.72 |
| 12 | Alaska profile | $49.85 | $103,680 | $82,320 | $133,860 | 410 | 1.25 | 1.20 |
| 13 | Arizona profile | $49.84 | $103,660 | $78,160 | $131,950 | 2,680 | 0.83 | 0.79 |
| 14 | New Jersey profile | $49.72 | $103,410 | $78,690 | $159,230 | 6,290 | 1.47 | 1.41 |
| 15 | Hawaii profile | $49.46 | $102,870 | $78,670 | $118,240 | 390 | 0.63 | 0.60 |
| 16 | Connecticut profile | $49.25 | $102,440 | $76,360 | $127,630 | 3,150 | 1.85 | 1.77 |
| 17 | Delaware profile | $49.10 | $102,130 | $71,280 | $138,640 | 490 | 1.00 | 0.96 |
| 18 | South Carolina profile | $48.62 | $101,130 | $75,370 | $123,110 | 1,840 | 0.80 | 0.76 |
| 19 | Massachusetts profile | $48.53 | $100,930 | $73,140 | $127,380 | 6,510 | 1.79 | 1.71 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | $48.42 | $100,710 | $70,200 | $134,570 | 4,150 | 1.01 | 0.97 |
| 21 | Rhode Island profile | $48.10 | $100,040 | $75,760 | $126,630 | 770 | 1.54 | 1.47 |
| 22 | Illinois profile | $47.93 | $99,700 | $73,360 | $132,180 | 7,710 | 1.26 | 1.21 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $47.78 | $99,390 | $70,080 | $123,800 | 6,760 | 1.22 | 1.17 |
| 24 | Florida profile | $47.77 | $99,360 | $66,230 | $117,950 | 10,650 | 1.07 | 1.03 |
| 25 | Kansas profile | $47.68 | $99,170 | $66,720 | $120,950 | 1,560 | 1.09 | 1.04 |
| 26 | New Mexico profile | $47.68 | $99,170 | $69,230 | $133,050 | 1,030 | 1.19 | 1.14 |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $47.35 | $98,490 | $61,070 | $126,630 | 2,060 | 1.06 | 1.02 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $47.33 | $98,440 | $69,120 | $128,790 | 6,560 | 1.08 | 1.04 |
| 29 | Idaho profile | $47.00 | $97,760 | $69,440 | $152,880 | 840 | 0.98 | 0.93 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $46.97 | $97,700 | $68,520 | $119,070 | 2,490 | 0.76 | 0.73 |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | $46.95 | $97,650 | $71,030 | $119,250 | 2,190 | 1.09 | 1.05 |
| 32 | Missouri profile | $46.77 | $97,290 | $71,880 | $120,130 | 3,400 | 1.16 | 1.11 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $46.71 | $97,150 | $75,570 | $126,970 | 1,030 | 0.59 | 0.57 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $46.65 | $97,020 | $69,550 | $119,950 | 3,830 | 1.20 | 1.14 |
| 35 | New York profile | $46.34 | $96,390 | $64,770 | $133,700 | 11,690 | 1.21 | 1.15 |
| 36 | West Virginia profile | $46.25 | $96,190 | $60,870 | $129,460 | 700 | 1.00 | 0.96 |
| 37 | Mississippi profile | $45.64 | $94,930 | $73,200 | $113,950 | 1,340 | 1.15 | 1.10 |
| 38 | Alabama profile | $45.21 | $94,050 | $76,670 | $123,870 | 1,500 | 0.71 | 0.68 |
| 39 | Nebraska profile | $45.07 | $93,740 | $70,370 | $107,780 | 1,500 | 1.47 | 1.40 |
| 40 | Vermont profile | $44.87 | $93,340 | $69,120 | $118,110 | 320 | 1.07 | 1.02 |
| 41 | Minnesota profile | $44.74 | $93,050 | $71,770 | $108,790 | 3,670 | 1.25 | 1.19 |
| 42 | North Carolina profile | $44.68 | $92,940 | $62,230 | $118,300 | 4,490 | 0.91 | 0.87 |
| 43 | Wisconsin profile | $44.42 | $92,390 | $73,610 | $110,950 | 3,710 | 1.26 | 1.21 |
| 44 | Iowa profile | $43.22 | $89,910 | $64,610 | $109,200 | 1,290 | 0.82 | 0.79 |
| 45 | Michigan profile | $43.23 | $89,910 | $66,580 | $105,720 | 5,120 | 1.16 | 1.11 |
| 46 | Montana profile | $42.79 | $88,990 | $76,110 | $110,910 | 420 | 0.82 | 0.79 |
| 47 | Wyoming profile | $41.43 | $86,170 | $57,740 | $127,790 | 350 | 1.25 | 1.20 |
| 48 | South Dakota profile | $40.89 | $85,050 | $65,820 | $106,520 | 490 | 1.07 | 1.02 |
| 49 | Maine profile | $40.53 | $84,310 | $63,750 | $114,100 | 1,120 | 1.75 | 1.68 |
| 50 | New Hampshire profile | $40.34 | $83,900 | $64,150 | $115,050 | 1,240 | 1.82 | 1.74 |
| 51 | North Dakota profile | $40.00 | $83,200 | $66,890 | $106,300 | 570 | 1.32 | 1.26 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (29-1120), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1122 Occupational Therapists.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1122, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1122.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.