Median Salary
$100,330
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$48.24
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$131,950
entry level starts ~$71,690
Pay Grade
A
excellent pay · 162,000 employed
How much does an Occupational Therapist make?
Occupational Therapists in the United States bring home a median salary of $100,330 a year, or around $48.24 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $71,690, while the top 10% earn $131,950.
That is $38,940 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Occupational Therapist salary range by percentile
Half of all Occupational Therapists earn between $82,510 and $116,670 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $71,690 | $34.47 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $82,510 | $39.67 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $100,330 | $48.24 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $116,670 | $56.09 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $131,950 | $63.44 |
|
Highest-paying states for Occupational Therapist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Occupational Therapist pay at $124,510 a year, followed by Oregon ($112,310) and Nevada ($110,520). At the other end, North Dakota posts the lowest median at $83,200 — a gap of $41,310 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Occupational Therapist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
California $124,510Oregon $112,310Nevada $110,520District of Columbia $109,170Washington $107,670Maryland $106,980Colorado $106,720Arkansas $106,360Texas $106,140Oklahoma $104,300Georgia $104,010Alaska $103,680Arizona $103,660New Jersey $103,410Hawaii $102,870Connecticut $102,440Delaware $102,130South Carolina $101,130Massachusetts $100,930Virginia $100,710Rhode Island $100,040Illinois $99,700Ohio $99,390Florida $99,360Kansas $99,170New Mexico $99,170Louisiana $98,490Pennsylvania $98,440Idaho $97,760Tennessee $97,700Kentucky $97,650Missouri $97,290Utah $97,150Indiana $97,020New York $96,390West Virginia $96,190Mississippi $94,930Alabama $94,050Nebraska $93,740Vermont $93,340Minnesota $93,050North Carolina $92,940Wisconsin $92,390Iowa $89,910Michigan $89,910Montana $88,990Wyoming $86,170South Dakota $85,050Maine $84,310New Hampshire $83,900North Dakota $83,200
Workforce and education
About 162,000 people work as Occupational Therapists in the United States. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Occupational Therapist make in the United States?
The median Occupational Therapist salary in the United States is $100,330 per year, or about $48.24 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $71,690, while the top 10% of earners make $131,950 or more.
How does Occupational Therapist pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A (excellent pay), the Occupational Therapist median of $100,330 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Occupational Therapists the most?
California is the highest-paying state for Occupational Therapists, with a median salary of $124,510 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become an Occupational Therapist?
Becoming an Occupational Therapist typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Occupational Therapists work in the United States?
About 162,000 people were employed as Occupational Therapists in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.