SOC 29-1122 · May 2025
Occupational Therapist Salary
Occupational Therapists in the US earn a median of $100,330 a year ($48.69 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Occupational Therapist pay climbed from $86,210 in 2019 to $101,280 in 2025, a +17.5% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$100,330
Half of all Occupational Therapists in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+17.5% since 2019 · +3.1% YoY
Hourly
$48.69
Job growth 2025-35
+14.8%
US workers
162,450
BLS series
Annual median wage for Occupational Therapists in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Occupational Therapists is $71,690 – $131,950.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$71,690
25th
$82,510
Median
$100,330
75th
$116,670
90th
$131,950
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Occupational Therapists. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $71,690 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $82,510 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $100,330 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $116,670 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $131,950 |
Geography
Occupational Therapist pay by state
Occupational Therapists earn the most in California ($124,510, +24% against the national median) and the least in North Dakota ($83,200). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$100,330
Highest-paying states for occupational therapists
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,510 | +24% | 13,810 |
| Oregon | $112,310 | +12% | 1,170 |
| Nevada | $110,520 | +10% | 1,080 |
| D.C. | $109,170 | +9% | 540 |
| Washington | $107,670 | +7% | 3,340 |
| Maryland | $106,980 | +7% | 2,390 |
| Colorado | $106,720 | +6% | 3,390 |
| Arkansas | $106,360 | +6% | 2,160 |
| Texas | $106,140 | +6% | 13,400 |
| Oklahoma | $104,300 | +4% | 1,180 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| California | $124,510 | 13,810 |
| Oregon | $112,310 | 1,170 |
| Nevada | $110,520 | 1,080 |
| D.C. | $109,170 | 540 |
| Washington | $107,670 | 3,340 |
| Maryland | $106,980 | 2,390 |
| Colorado | $106,720 | 3,390 |
| Arkansas | $106,360 | 2,160 |
| Texas | $106,140 | 13,400 |
| Oklahoma | $104,300 | 1,180 |
| Georgia | $104,010 | 3,650 |
| Alaska | $103,680 | 410 |
| Arizona | $103,660 | 2,680 |
| New Jersey | $103,410 | 6,290 |
| Hawaii | $102,870 | 390 |
| Connecticut | $102,440 | 3,150 |
| Delaware | $102,130 | 490 |
| South Carolina | $101,130 | 1,840 |
| Massachusetts | $100,930 | 6,510 |
| Virginia | $100,710 | 4,150 |
| Rhode Island | $100,040 | 770 |
| Illinois | $99,700 | 7,710 |
| Ohio | $99,390 | 6,760 |
| Florida | $99,360 | 10,650 |
| Kansas | $99,170 | 1,560 |
| New Mexico | $99,170 | 1,030 |
| Louisiana | $98,490 | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,440 | 6,560 |
| Idaho | $97,760 | 840 |
| Tennessee | $97,700 | 2,490 |
| Kentucky | $97,650 | 2,190 |
| Missouri | $97,290 | 3,400 |
| Utah | $97,150 | 1,030 |
| Indiana | $97,020 | 3,830 |
| New York | $96,390 | 11,690 |
| West Virginia | $96,190 | 700 |
| Mississippi | $94,930 | 1,340 |
| Alabama | $94,050 | 1,500 |
| Nebraska | $93,740 | 1,500 |
| Vermont | $93,340 | 320 |
| Minnesota | $93,050 | 3,670 |
| North Carolina | $92,940 | 4,490 |
| Wisconsin | $92,390 | 3,710 |
| Michigan | $89,910 | 5,120 |
| Iowa | $89,910 | 1,290 |
| Montana | $88,990 | 420 |
| Wyoming | $86,170 | 350 |
| South Dakota | $85,050 | 490 |
| Maine | $84,310 | 1,120 |
| New Hampshire | $83,900 | 1,240 |
| North Dakota | $83,200 | 570 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists help patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living and working. The role requires a master's or doctoral degree from an ACOTE-accredited program plus passing the NBCOT exam.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $71,690 – $131,950. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are California, Oregon and Nevada. Pay in California runs 1.5 times the level in North Dakota, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as master's degree, and projects about 10,000 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 14.8% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Occupational Therapist salary in the US?
How much does a Occupational Therapist make an hour?
How much do Occupational Therapists make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Occupational Therapists the most?
Is the average Occupational Therapist salary higher than the median?
Is Occupational Therapist a growing career?
Open positions
Open Occupational Therapist roles hiring now
Browse current Occupational Therapist listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 29-1122. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.