Per diemPosted 3 days ago
Occupational Therapist I - Per Diem - San Diego County Float
Sharp HealthCare · San Diego, CA
$52.36–$67.57/ hour
New this week
Occupational Therapist jobs in San Diego, CA
The median occupational therapist pay in the San Diego area is $53.87 per hour ($112,050 a year), with the typical range running from $48.63 to $62.77. 4 open roles with published pay are listed for San Diego. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in San Diego. The free report below lists employers near San Diego and what they pay.
- $53.87median pay per hour, San Diego
- $49–$63typical range per hour
- 1,260occupational therapists employed in the metro area
- 4open roles with published pay
Open Occupational Therapist roles in San Diego
PermanentPosted 9 days ago
Occupational Therapist (Outpatient) - Occupational Therapy
Rady Children's Hospital · San Diego, CA
$45.75–$62.09/ hour
For youUpdated weekly
60+ more Occupational Therapist roles for you in San Diego, CA
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
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PermanentPosted 21 days ago
Occupational Therapist - OT
BrightSpring Health Services · San Diego, CA
$60.00–$65.00/ hour
Per diemPosted 29 days ago
Occupational Therapist I - Per Diem - San Diego County Float
Sharp Healthcare · San Diego, CA
$52.36–$67.57/ hour
Get the San Diego Occupational Therapist pay report
Named employers near San Diego, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWho is hiring occupational therapists near San Diego
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp HealthCare | 1 | $59.96 |
| Rady Children's Hospital | 1 | $53.92 |
| BrightSpring Health Services | 1 | $62.50 |
| Sharp Healthcare | 1 | $59.96 |
Occupational Therapist pay in San Diego, CA
The metro median is 6% below the California statewide median of $57.44 per hour. Nationally the median is $47.28 per hour. BLS counts about 1,260 occupational therapists employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.84).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $40.89 | $85,050 | 14% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $48.63 | $101,150 | 3% above U.S. median |
| Median | $53.87 | $112,050 | 14% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $62.77 | $130,560 | 33% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $70.04 | $145,680 | 48% above U.S. median |
How San Diego ranks
- 15th of 354 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 145th of 327 after adjusting for local prices
- 15th 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 San Diego
- Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $53.87 median hour buys what $48.15 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 San Diego paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,939
- Per year: $96,966
- Per month: $8,080
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in San Diego
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $205 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $2,037 |
| 13-week assignment | $26,481 |
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 San Diego
CMS lists 9 hospitals in San Diego, 5 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of occupational therapists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Va San Diego Healthcare System San Diego, CA | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Nmc San Diego San Diego, CA | Acute Care - Department of Defense | Government and federal | Not rated | Yes |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA | Children's | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
| Aurora San Diego San Diego, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
| Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital San Diego, CA | Psychiatric | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Occupational Therapist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Mesa, CA | 7 mi | $53.87/hr | 60,767 |
| Santee, CA | 9 mi | $53.87/hr | 59,104 |
| Temecula, CA | 47 mi | $52.41/hr | 112,431 |
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.
Other healthcare roles in San Diego
San Diego city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do occupational therapists make in San Diego, CA?
Occupational Therapists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $53.87 per hour, about $112,050 a year. The middle half earn between $48.63 and $62.77 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is San Diego a good place for occupational therapists once cost of living is counted?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 145th of 327 metro areas for occupational therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 15th of 354 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring occupational therapists in San Diego?
We list 4 open roles with published pay from 4 employers in San Diego. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Diego.
Do I need a California license to work in San Diego 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 San Diego?
The federal per diem benchmark in San Diego is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place occupational therapists in San Diego?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Diego and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Diego.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near San Diego pay occupational therapists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
Get your free pay report
230+ Occupational Therapist roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your OT pay reportSan Diego, 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
- Occupational TherapistPer diem$52.04–$77.42/ hour
- Occupational Therapist Home HealthPermanent$49.78–$74.05/ hour
+ 36 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.