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How Much Does an Occupational Therapist Make?

An occupational therapist in the US earns a median salary of $100,330 a year, or $48.24 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $101,280, and the middle half earn between $82,510 and $116,670.

Median a year $100,330
Median an hour $48.24
Median a month $8,361
Average a year $101,280

Occupational therapist pay range

What occupational therapists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $71,690 $34.47
25th $82,510 $39.67
Median (50th) $100,330 $48.24
75th $116,670 $56.09
90th (top 10%) $131,950 $63.44

The median is 97% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 162,450 people work as occupational therapists in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,929
Every two weeks
$3,859
Twice a month
$4,180
A month
$8,361

At the median salary, before tax.

Occupational therapist salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays occupational therapists the most, at $121,920 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $121,920 $124,510 13,810 After tax
Nevada $112,290 $110,520 1,080 After tax
Oregon $112,000 $112,310 1,170 After tax
Colorado $111,620 $106,720 3,390 After tax
District of Columbia $110,850 $109,170 540 After tax
New Jersey $110,150 $103,410 6,290 After tax
Washington $110,100 $107,670 3,340 After tax
Alaska $108,000 $103,680 410 After tax
Texas $107,630 $106,140 13,400 After tax
Maryland $106,300 $106,980 2,390 After tax
Delaware $105,190 $102,130 490 After tax
Arizona $104,960 $103,660 2,680 After tax
Arkansas $104,940 $106,360 2,160 After tax
Oklahoma $104,370 $104,300 1,180 After tax
Connecticut $102,140 $102,440 3,150 After tax
Virginia $102,130 $100,710 4,150 After tax
New Mexico $101,800 $99,170 1,030 After tax
Georgia $101,460 $104,010 3,650 After tax
Hawaii $100,280 $102,870 390 After tax
Idaho $100,000 $97,760 840 After tax
Massachusetts $99,730 $100,930 6,510 After tax
Illinois $99,570 $99,700 7,710 After tax
Rhode Island $99,380 $100,040 770 After tax
Pennsylvania $98,460 $98,440 6,560 After tax
New York $97,650 $96,390 11,690 After tax
Ohio $97,390 $99,390 6,760 After tax
Utah $97,210 $97,150 1,030 After tax
South Carolina $97,180 $101,130 1,840 After tax
Kansas $96,150 $99,170 1,560 After tax
Indiana $96,090 $97,020 3,830 After tax
West Virginia $95,810 $96,190 700 After tax
Alabama $95,760 $94,050 1,500 After tax
Florida $95,620 $99,360 10,650 After tax
Kentucky $95,450 $97,650 2,190 After tax
Missouri $95,200 $97,290 3,400 After tax
Tennessee $95,080 $97,700 2,490 After tax
Mississippi $93,430 $94,930 1,340 After tax
Vermont $92,960 $93,340 320 After tax
Louisiana $92,940 $98,490 2,060 After tax
Montana $92,310 $88,990 420 After tax
Nebraska $91,620 $93,740 1,500 After tax
Minnesota $91,450 $93,050 3,670 After tax
North Carolina $91,360 $92,940 4,490 After tax
Wisconsin $91,150 $92,390 3,710 After tax
Wyoming $90,790 $86,170 350 After tax
Iowa $89,720 $89,910 1,290 After tax
Michigan $89,150 $89,910 5,120 After tax
New Hampshire $89,080 $83,900 1,240 After tax
South Dakota $88,150 $85,050 490 After tax
Maine $87,900 $84,310 1,120 After tax
North Dakota $87,670 $83,200 570 After tax
Puerto Rico $58,060 $51,850 170

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare practitioners jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Occupational Therapists” (SOC 29-1122). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an occupational therapist make an hour?

The median hourly wage for an occupational therapist is $48.24, and the average is $48.69. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $34.47 an hour and the top 10% over $63.44.

How much does an occupational therapist make a month?

At the median salary of $100,330, an occupational therapist earns about $8,361 a month before tax, or $3,859 every two weeks.

Which state pays occupational therapists the most?

California has the highest average pay for an occupational therapist, at $121,920 a year. Next are Nevada and Oregon. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for an occupational therapist?

The lowest-paid 10% of occupational therapists earn less than $71,690 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $82,510. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid occupational therapists make?

The top 10% earn more than $131,950 a year, and the top 25% more than $116,670.