CA · Porterville · Updated October 15, 2026

Occupational Therapist jobs in Porterville, CA

Pay for occupational therapists in the Porterville area centers on $48.24 per hour, or about $100,350 a year. The lower quarter earns under $40.21 and the upper quarter over $59.39. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Porterville. That ranks 82nd of 354 U.S. metro areas for occupational therapist pay, and 141st of 327 once local prices are factored in. The free report below lists employers near Porterville and what they pay.

Open Occupational Therapist roles near Porterville

Roles in other cities of the Visalia area.

PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Occupational Therapist

Kaweah Delta Health Care District · Visalia, CA

$50.24–$75.36/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req R26_0000002296
New this week
View role
Per diemPosted 7 days ago

Per Diem Occupational Therapist

Kaweah Delta Health Care District · Visalia, CA

$64.00–$64.00/ hour
  • Part time
  • Req R25_0000000787
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

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Named employers near Porterville, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Occupational Therapist pay in Porterville, CA

The metro median is 16% below the California statewide median of $57.44 per hour. Nationally the median is $47.28 per hour. BLS counts about 130 occupational therapists employed in the Visalia metro area, 0.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.75).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$19.25$40,04059% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$40.21$83,64015% below U.S. median
Median$48.24$100,3502% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$59.39$123,53026% above U.S. median
Top 10%$62.99$131,02033% above U.S. median

How Porterville ranks

  • 82nd of 354 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 141st of 327 after adjusting for local prices
  • 21st of 22 California metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Porterville

  • Overall prices in Visalia run in line with the U.S. average (index 99.8, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 16% below the U.S. average (index 84.1).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $48.24 median hour buys what $48.32 buys at the national price level, 2% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Porterville paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,737
  • Per year: $86,832
  • Per month: $7,236

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Visalia metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Porterville

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$131
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,477
13-week assignment$19,201

Travel occupational therapist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Porterville

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Porterville, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of occupational therapists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Sierra View Medical Center
Porterville, CA
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Porterville Developmental Center
Porterville, CA
Acute careGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Occupational Therapist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Tulare, CA20 mi$48.24/hr72,601
Delano, CA24 mi$57.48/hr53,198
Visalia, CA25 mi$48.24/hr146,271
Hanford, CA39 mi$57.44/hr60,594
Bakersfield, CA49 mi$57.48/hr417,468
Clovis, CA64 mi$51.62/hr127,993

Occupational Therapist jobs in California · Occupational Therapist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in California

Master’s or doctoral degree in occupational therapy. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in Porterville

Porterville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do occupational therapists make in Porterville, CA?

Occupational Therapists in the Visalia metro area have a median pay of $48.24 per hour, about $100,350 a year. The middle half earn between $40.21 and $59.39 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Porterville a good place for occupational therapists once cost of living is counted?

Visalia ranks 141st of 327 metro areas for occupational therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 82nd of 354 before adjusting. Overall prices run in line with the U.S. average.

Who is hiring occupational therapists in Porterville?

We list 5 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in the Visalia area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Porterville.

Do I need a California license to work in Porterville as an occupational therapist?

Master’s or doctoral degree in occupational therapy. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Porterville?

The federal per diem benchmark in Porterville is $131 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,477 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place occupational therapists in Porterville?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Porterville and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Porterville.

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What do employers near Porterville pay occupational therapists? Get the report.

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  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · OT near Porterville, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your OT pay reportPorterville, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Montage HealthMonterey, CA · 4 postings$67.73/ hr$54–$83
  • CommonSpirit HealthNORTHRIDGE, CA · 9 postings$64.73/ hr$48–$81
  • Kaweah Delta Health Care DistrictVisalia, CA · 5 postings$62.80/ hr$50–$75
  • BrightSpring Health ServicesBURBANK, CA · 7 postings$62.50/ hr$60–$65

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$50Median$62.50High$75

38 OT postings with published pay in California, 35 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 38 OT roles

  1. Occupational TherapistPer diem
    $52.04–$77.42/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Northridge, CA · posted today
  2. Occupational Therapist Home HealthPermanent
    $49.78–$74.05/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Rancho Cordova, CA · posted today

+ 36 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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