Orthotists and Prosthetists
Median wage · national
$81,110
Range: $61K – $100K
Employed
9K
Openings/yr
700
Typically: master's degree
HEALTH
Occupational Therapist
With a national median of $100,330 and +14.8% projected job growth through 2035, Occupational Therapist offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
About Occupational Therapist
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a occupational therapist: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Rehabilitation and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.
- Median Wage
- $100,330
- Employed Nationally
- 162K
- Openings / Year
- 10,000
- Entry Education
- Master's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Also known as:
Assistive Technology Trainer
Certified Hand Therapist (CHT)
Early Intervention Occupational Therapist
Home Care Occupational Therapist (Home Care OT)
Home Health Occupational Therapist
How Much Do Occupational Therapists Make?
Most occupational therapists take home around $100,330 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $82,510 and $116,670, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$100,330
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$83K–$117K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$82,510
Entry-level
$100,330
Median
$116,670
Experienced
What Do Occupational Therapists Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Monitoring
Active Listening
Service Orientation
Instructing
Reading Comprehension
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
Where Do Occupational Therapists Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Occupational Therapists?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +14.8%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 10,000 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +14.8%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Faster than average.
10,000
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
162K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Occupational Therapist professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $100,330 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 13,810 | $124,510 | +24.1% |
| 2 | Texas | 13,400 | $106,140 | +5.8% |
| 3 | New York | 11,690 | $96,390 | -3.9% |
| 4 | Florida | 10,650 | $99,360 | -1.0% |
| 5 | Illinois | 7,710 | $99,700 | -0.6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a master's degree. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
Typical Entry Education
Master's degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rehabilitation | 29,934 | $55,792 | 609 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Occupational Therapists
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | 90 | $11,655 | $72,200 |
| 3 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | 90 | $10,440 | $64,403 |
| 4 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | 90 | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| 5 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | 90 | $11,297 | $61,675 |
| 6 | Florida International University Miami, FL | 90 | $9,288 | $60,249 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Occupational Therapist, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Occupational Therapist pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Occupational Therapist Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Occupational Therapist a compelling path. The 3 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $100,330 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- Fast-growing field At +14.8% projected growth through 2035, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $116,670 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
- High education requirement Most employers require a master's degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.
Occupational Therapist Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Occupational Therapist professionals earn?
Around $100,330 a year for the typical worker, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $82,510 and $116,670. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Occupational Therapist a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $100,330 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Job growth of +14.8% through 2035 means demand is real. The harder question is whether the education investment at your specific program will pay off. School selection matters enormously at this preparation level.
How long does it take to work as Occupational Therapists?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A master's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Rehabilitation are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $100,330 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Is a master's degree worth it to become an Occupational Therapist?
For in-state public programs, generally yes. The margin tightens significantly at private schools with heavy debt loads. A $100,330 median may take 15 to 20 years to recover at high-cost programs. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.
What is the job outlook for Occupational Therapist?
Employment is projected to change by +14.8% through 2035, faster than average compared with other occupations. Around 10,000 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 162K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Occupational Therapist professionals need?
Mainly Monitoring, Active Listening, Service Orientation, Instructing, and Reading Comprehension. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Colleges
Discover 3,811 verified US colleges and universities. Compare admissions, costs, outcomes, and earnings across every accredited institution nationwide.
Majors
Explore 38 fields of study spanning STEM, health, business, and the humanities. See earnings, top programs, and demand.
Programs
Browse 375 specific degree programs. See completion counts, earnings outcomes, and the colleges awarding the most graduates each year.
Careers
Look up 395 BLS occupations. Get median wages, growth projections, education requirements, and the majors leading to each career.