Occupational Therapist Salary

Your salary as an occupational therapist depends on factors such as where you live, how much experience you have, and what type of facility you work in.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the job outlook for occupational therapists is much better than for many other professions—occupational therapy is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an approximate increase in average salary of around 41 percent between now and 2024.

The BLS report from May 2021 states that most occupational therapists worked full-time and made an average of $85,570. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $60,680, and the top 10 percent more than $123,840.

Occupational Therapist Salary
Occupational Therapist Salary Infographic

Many occupational therapists make more than the average mean wage by working in patients’ homes, nursing homes, and hospitals.

  • The highest average salaries can be found in California, Nevada, New Jersey, Texas, and New Mexico, where annual mean wages are over $95,060.
  • The states that offer the lowest average salaries are Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Vermont. Each of these states has an annual mean wage of $76,770 or less.
  • Puerto Rico offers the lowest annual mean wage, at $43,110.

Occupational Therapy Salary by State

The following chart was based on data provided by the BLS.

Occupational Therapist (SOC code 291122)
Period: May 2021

StateEmploymentHourly Mean WageAnnual Mean Wage
Alabama1270$40.73$84,710
Alaska290$44.92$93,440
Arizona2260$43.52$90,520
Arkansas1130$39.12$81,360
California11460$50.85$105,760
Colorado3710$44.83$93,250
Connecticut2280$45.21$94,040
Delaware400$42.64$88,680
DC450$43.34$90,150
Florida6770$41.65$86,640
Georgia3290$41.95$87,250
Hawaii460$44.40$92,350
Idaho600$38.83$80,760
Illinois6320$40.20$83,620
Indiana2640$41.15$85,580
Iowa990$39.47$82,110
Kansas1190$41.55$86,430
Kentucky1780$39.10$81,330
Louisiana1570$44.34$92,230
Maine990$35.76$74,380
Maryland3170$41.57$86,460
Massachusetts4820$42.33$88,040
Michigan4610$37.44$77,880
Minnesota3080$38.49$80,060
Mississippi1190$42.03$87,420
Missouri2270$37.97$78,990
Montana360$39.57$82,300
Nebraska1200$40.25$83,710
Nevada850$52.41$109,010
New Hampshire920$39.82$82,820
New Jersey3960$48.14$100,140
New Mexico740$47.70$95,060
New York8320$44.80$93,190
North Carolina3450$40.18$83,580
North Dakota420$34.30$71,340
Ohio5870$40.83$84,930
Oklahoma860$42.41$88,200
Oregon1130$44.10$91,730
Pennsylvania6710$42.57$88,540
Puerto Rico280$20.73$43,110
Rhode Island420$44.48$92,510
South Carolina1480$42.40$88,180
South Dakota370$36.70$76,330
Tennessee2260$41.86$87,060
Texas8500$46.20$96,100
Utah860$43.02$89,480
Vermont230$37.37$77,740
Virginia3070$45.65$94,950
Washington2800$44.54$92,650
West Virginia420$39.36$81,860
Wisconsin3380$36.91$76,770
Wyoming290$39.51$82,170