How much money do occupational therapists make per year? What does an occupational therapist do on the job? What are the education requirements to become an occupational therapist? This article will provide a general job overview, as well as detailed salary statistics.
Occupational therapists treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living and working. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of occupational therapy is expected to grow 29% between years 2012-2022.
What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?
Occupational therapists typically do the following activities on the job:
- Observe patients doing tasks, ask them questions, and review their medical history
- Evaluate a patient’s condition and needs
- Develop a treatment plan for patients, laying out the types of activities and specific goals to be accomplished
- Help people with various disabilities with different tasks, such as leading an autistic child in play activitiesDemonstrate exercises—for example, joint stretches for arthritis relief—that can help relieve pain for people with chronic conditions
- Evaluate a patient’s home or workplace and, based on the patient’s health needs, identify potential improvements, such as labeling kitchen cabinets for an older person with poor memory
- Educate a patient’s family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the patient
- Recommend special equipment, such as wheelchairs and eating aids, and instruct patients on how to use that equipment
- Assess and record patients’ activities and progress for patient evaluations, for billing, and for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers
Education Requirements to Become an Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists need at least a master’s degree in occupational therapy; some therapists have a doctoral degree. Occupational therapists also must be licensed or registered. In March 2013, there were 149 occupational therapy programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, part of the American Occupational Therapy Association; 145 are master’s degree programs and the remaining 4 are doctoral degree programs.
Admission to graduate programs in occupational therapy generally requires a bachelor’s degree and specific coursework, including biology and physiology. Many programs also require applicants to have volunteered or worked in an occupational therapy setting.
Master’s programs generally take 2 to 3 years to complete; doctoral programs take about 3 years. Some schools offer a dual-degree program in which the student earns a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in 5 years. Part-time programs that offer courses on nights and weekends are also available.
Both master’s and doctoral programs require at least 24 weeks of supervised fieldwork, in which prospective occupational therapists gain clinical work experience.
All states require occupational therapists to pass the national examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapists (NBCOT). To sit for the NBCOT exam, candidates must have earned a degree from an accredited educational program and completed all fieldwork requirements. Therapists must pass the NBCOT exam to use the title “Occupational Therapist Registered” (OTR). They must also take continuing education classes to maintain certification.
Occupational Therapy Salary Averages
Occupational therapists often earn very competitive salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2014, occupational therapists earned an average of $38.46 per hour and $80,000 in income per year. These numbers are only averages, and the exact amount can vary depending on job experience, job location, and job industry. Below is additional salary information.
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $25.32 | $31.26 | $37.89 | $45.28 | $54.30 |
| Annual Wage | $52,670 | $65,020 | $78,810 | $94,190 | $112,950 |
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 28,040 | 3.62 | $39.64 | $82,460 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 24,720 | 0.47 | $37.96 | $78,950 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 14,370 | 0.17 | $33.86 | $70,430 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 10,420 | 0.63 | $41.71 | $86,750 |
| Home Health Care Services | 10,020 | 0.80 | $43.30 | $90,070 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | n/a | n/a | $55.44 | $115,320 |
| Home Health Care Services | 10,020 | 0.80 | $43.30 | $90,070 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 10,420 | 0.63 | $41.71 | $86,750 |
| Employment Services | 2,730 | 0.08 | $39.82 | $82,830 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | 160 | 0.06 | $39.74 | $82,660 |
Top paying states for this occupation:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Nevada | 690 | 0.58 | 0.71 | $51.80 | $107,750 |
| California | 9,540 | 0.63 | 0.77 | $43.14 | $89,740 |
| New Jersey | 3,530 | 0.91 | 1.12 | $43.13 | $89,710 |
| Texas | 7,320 | 0.65 | 0.80 | $43.12 | $89,690 |
| District of Columbia | 610 | 0.91 | 1.11 | $41.40 | $86,110 |
Lowest paying states:
| North Dakota | 30.32 | 63,070 | 60,730 |
| South Dakota | 30.90 | 64,260 | 61,840 |
| Maine | 31.50 | 65,510 | 64,580 |
Average Salary and Wage for Occupational Therapists by State
| State | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Annual median wage |
| Alabama | 38.26 | 79,580 | 77,300 |
| Alaska | 36.41 | 75,730 | 77,330 |
| Arizona | 38.27 | 79,610 | 79,230 |
| Arkansas | 39.15 | 81,440 | 83,960 |
| California | 43.14 | 89,740 | 91,090 |
| Colorado | 39.12 | 81,380 | 80,850 |
| Connecticut | 40.82 | 84,910 | 84,360 |
| Delaware | 38.00 | 79,050 | 75,810 |
| District of Columbia | 41.40 | 86,110 | 84,210 |
| Florida | 40.72 | 84,690 | 81,790 |
| Georgia | 38.12 | 79,290 | 80,650 |
| Hawaii | 35.94 | 74760 | 78340 |
| Idaho | 33.19 | 69,040 | 71,220 |
| Illinois | 37.46 | 77,930 | 78,980 |
| Indiana | 37.05 | 77,060 | 76,370 |
| Iowa | 34.43 | 71620 | 71150 |
| Kansas | 38.50 | 80,090 | 78,450 |
| Kentucky | 37.95 | 78,940 | 79,480 |
| Louisiana | 36.08 | 75,040 | 74,170 |
| Maine | 31.50 | 65,510 | 64,580 |
| Maryland | 40.96 | 85,200 | 85,550 |
| Massachusetts | 38.06 | 79,170 | 80,420 |
| Michigan | 34.25 | 71,240 | 68,610 |
| Minnesota | 33.47 | 69,610 | 69,850 |
| Mississippi | 39.40 | 81,950 | 84,550 |
| Missouri | 34.41 | 71,570 | 70,800 |
| Montana | 32.97 | 68,580 | 68,210 |
| Nebraska | 35.13 | 73,070 | 71,650 |
| Nevada | 51.80 | 107,750 | 93,800 |
| New Hampshire | 35.40 | 73630 | 73540 |
| New Jersey | 43.13 | 89,710 | 89,620 |
| New Mexico | 38.25 | 79,550 | 76,570 |
| New York | 37.91 | 78,850 | 76,060 |
| North Carolina | 36.33 | 75,570 | 76,560 |
| North Dakota | 30.32 | 63,070 | 60,730 |
| Ohio | 38.76 | 80,620 | 79,390 |
| Oklahoma | 36.56 | 76,040 | 76,600 |
| Oregon | 37.92 | 78,880 | 81,550 |
| Pennsylvania | 35.14 | 73,090 | 71,530 |
| Puerto Rico | 19.66 | 40,890 | 35,460 |
| Rhode Island | 37.43 | 77,850 | 77,840 |
| South Carolina | 37.54 | 78,090 | 79,490 |
| South Dakota | 30.90 | 64,260 | 61,840 |
| Tennessee | 39.10 | 81,320 | 81,820 |
| Texas | 43.12 | 89,690 | 87,250 |
| Utah | 37.55 | 78,110 | 80,780 |
| Vermont | 35.91 | 74,700 | 68,990 |
| Virginia | 40.81 | 84,890 | 85,200 |
| Washington | 39.03 | 81,180 | 82,840 |
| West Virginia | 35.21 | 73,230 | 71,400 |
| Wisconsin | 32.61 | 67,820 | 67,330 |
| Wyoming | 35.08 | 72,960 | 70,990 |
References:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Occupational Therapists, on the Internet at bls.gov.