Occupational Therapists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for occupational therapistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $101,280 ≈ $49/hr
National median salary $100,330
Total employment 162,450 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +13.8%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 10,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 160,000 → 182,100 (+22,100)
Typical entry education Master's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$121,920
- Nevada$112,290
- Oregon$112,000
- Colorado$111,620
- District of Columbia$110,850
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- North Dakota$87,670
- Maine$87,900
- South Dakota$88,150
- New Hampshire$89,080
- Michigan$89,150
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $121,920 | $124,510 | $59 | +20.4% | 13,810 |
| 2 | Nevada | $112,290 | $110,520 | $54 | +10.9% | 1,080 |
| 3 | Oregon | $112,000 | $112,310 | $54 | +10.6% | 1,170 |
| 4 | Colorado | $111,620 | $106,720 | $54 | +10.2% | 3,390 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $110,850 | $109,170 | $53 | +9.4% | 540 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $110,150 | $103,410 | $53 | +8.8% | 6,290 |
| 7 | Washington | $110,100 | $107,670 | $53 | +8.7% | 3,340 |
| 8 | Alaska | $108,000 | $103,680 | $52 | +6.6% | 410 |
| 9 | Texas | $107,630 | $106,140 | $52 | +6.3% | 13,400 |
| 10 | Maryland | $106,300 | $106,980 | $51 | +5% | 2,390 |
| 11 | Delaware | $105,190 | $102,130 | $51 | +3.9% | 490 |
| 12 | Arizona | $104,960 | $103,660 | $50 | +3.6% | 2,680 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $104,940 | $106,360 | $50 | +3.6% | 2,160 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | $104,370 | $104,300 | $50 | +3.1% | 1,180 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $102,140 | $102,440 | $49 | +0.8% | 3,150 |
| 16 | Virginia | $102,130 | $100,710 | $49 | +0.8% | 4,150 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $101,800 | $99,170 | $49 | +0.5% | 1,030 |
| 18 | Georgia | $101,460 | $104,010 | $49 | +0.2% | 3,650 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $100,280 | $102,870 | $48 | -1% | 390 |
| 20 | Idaho | $100,000 | $97,760 | $48 | -1.3% | 840 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $99,730 | $100,930 | $48 | -1.5% | 6,510 |
| 22 | Illinois | $99,570 | $99,700 | $48 | -1.7% | 7,710 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $99,380 | $100,040 | $48 | -1.9% | 770 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $98,460 | $98,440 | $47 | -2.8% | 6,560 |
| 25 | New York | $97,650 | $96,390 | $47 | -3.6% | 11,690 |
| 26 | Ohio | $97,390 | $99,390 | $47 | -3.8% | 6,760 |
| 27 | Utah | $97,210 | $97,150 | $47 | -4% | 1,030 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $97,180 | $101,130 | $47 | -4% | 1,840 |
| 29 | Kansas | $96,150 | $99,170 | $46 | -5.1% | 1,560 |
| 30 | Indiana | $96,090 | $97,020 | $46 | -5.1% | 3,830 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $95,810 | $96,190 | $46 | -5.4% | 700 |
| 32 | Alabama | $95,760 | $94,050 | $46 | -5.5% | 1,500 |
| 33 | Florida | $95,620 | $99,360 | $46 | -5.6% | 10,650 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $95,450 | $97,650 | $46 | -5.8% | 2,190 |
| 35 | Missouri | $95,200 | $97,290 | $46 | -6% | 3,400 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $95,080 | $97,700 | $46 | -6.1% | 2,490 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $93,430 | $94,930 | $45 | -7.8% | 1,340 |
| 38 | Vermont | $92,960 | $93,340 | $45 | -8.2% | 320 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $92,940 | $98,490 | $45 | -8.2% | 2,060 |
| 40 | Montana | $92,310 | $88,990 | $44 | -8.9% | 420 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $91,620 | $93,740 | $44 | -9.5% | 1,500 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $91,450 | $93,050 | $44 | -9.7% | 3,670 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $91,360 | $92,940 | $44 | -9.8% | 4,490 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $91,150 | $92,390 | $44 | -10% | 3,710 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $90,790 | $86,170 | $44 | -10.4% | 350 |
| 46 | Iowa | $89,720 | $89,910 | $43 | -11.4% | 1,290 |
| 47 | Michigan | $89,150 | $89,910 | $43 | -12% | 5,120 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $89,080 | $83,900 | $43 | -12% | 1,240 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $88,150 | $85,050 | $42 | -13% | 490 |
| 50 | Maine | $87,900 | $84,310 | $42 | -13.2% | 1,120 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $87,670 | $83,200 | $42 | -13.4% | 570 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 490 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,870 | $137,450 | 840 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $136,770 | $136,250 | 1,560 |
| 3 | Vallejo, CA | $135,000 | $128,760 | 100 |
| 4 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,420 | $131,980 | 100 |
| 5 | Chico, CA | $129,260 | $121,440 | 70 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $128,010 | $128,610 | 130 |
| 7 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $125,890 | $122,310 | 170 |
| 8 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $124,800 | $118,750 | 40 |
| 9 | Napa, CA | $124,490 | $127,120 | 40 |
| 10 | Boulder, CO | $123,490 | $123,360 | 260 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing occupational therapistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $109,300 | $111,390 | 1,500 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $109,300 | $111,390 | 1,500 |
| 3 | Other Schools and Instruction, Privately Owned | $106,980 | $104,950 | — |
| 4 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $106,440 | $102,110 | 470 |
| 5 | Home Health Care Services | $106,300 | $112,820 | 13,190 |
| 6 | Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | $106,290 | $108,600 | 450 |
| 7 | Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $105,850 | $108,250 | 12,080 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $105,560 | $106,060 | 3,400 |
| 9 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $105,560 | $106,060 | 3,400 |
| 10 | Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $105,430 | $107,570 | 14,700 |
| 11 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $105,230 | $107,940 | 1,520 |
| 12 | Outpatient Care Centers | $105,190 | $109,420 | 2,310 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do occupational therapists make in the U.S.?
The median occupational therapists salary in the United States is $100,330 per year (mean $101,280), and about 80% earn between $71,690 and $131,950.
How much do occupational therapists make per hour?
Roughly $49 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $101,280 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays occupational therapists the most?
California has the highest average pay for occupational therapists at $121,920 per year (median $124,510).
What is the job outlook for occupational therapists?
Employment is projected to change +13.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 10,200 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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