Occupational Therapist Salary

The median Occupational Therapist Salary is calculated by the US Government Bureau of Labor Statistics from a variety of sources.  an Occupational therapist works in a number of settings including hospitals and clinics.  The average Occupational Therapists Salary will vary depending on the location and the setting.  The assumption was made that the therapists reflected here were working an average of 40 hours per week with a total of 2080 hours per year.

Occupational Therapist Salary: Median Hourly & Annual Data

Hourly

The average Occupational Therapist Salary is $31.51 per hour. The lowest 10% earn $20.35 per hour and those in the upper 10% earn more than $45.28 per hour.

Annually

On an annual basis the median Occupational Therapist Salary is $65,540. The lowest 10% earn $42,330 per year while the upper 10% earn more than $94,170 per year.  These salaries are calculated as a mean or average.

Lowest and Highest Occupational Health Safety Specialists Salary

The lowest paid Occupational Therapists earn less than $38,000 annually while the highest paid Occupational Therapists earn over $85,000 per year.

Top 5 States

The top paying states to earn a Occupational Therapist Salary are California $77,450, New Jersey $74,820, Maryland $72,670, Illinois $71,810, Connecticut $70,930.

 Top 5 Metropolitan Areas

The best city or metropolitan areas to earn a Occupational Therapist Salary are San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City CA $92,760, Naples-Marco Island, FL $89,750, El Paso, TX $88,390, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $87,220, Valdosta, GA $85,900.

Other Industries that Employ Occupational Therapists

Elementary and secondary schools, child daycare services and management/technical consulting services as well as employment agencies are other arenas where these professionals work.  Government and military also employ a small number of occupational therapists

Employment Data

According to the US Department of Labor nationally there are over 87,430 Occupational Therapists who earn a salary through being employed. 

Where They Work

Of all the Occupational Therapists employed in the United States over 22,470 work in hospitals with an additional 17,700 working in other healthcare providers offices.  Nursing care facilities and home health care account for over 13,800 occupational therapists.

Private Practice Vs Employment

A small number of occupational therapists are self-employed in private practice. These practitioners see clients referred by physicians or other health professionals or provide contract or consulting services to nursing care facilities, schools, adult day care programs, and home health care agencies.

Benefits

Fringe benefits will vary depending on business size and other factors. To see what a typical benefits package is worth  A typical employment benefits package is worth over $20,000 per year.