Per diemPosted today
Occupational Therapist
CommonSpirit Health · Northridge, CA
$52.04–$77.42/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
Occupational Therapist jobs in Sunnyvale, CA
Pay for occupational therapists in the Sunnyvale area centers on $64.77 per hour, or about $134,720 a year. The lower quarter earns under $59.40 and the upper quarter over $76.87. That ranks 1st of 354 U.S. metro areas for occupational therapist pay, and 2nd of 327 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 10 hospitals in the Sunnyvale metro area. The free report below lists employers near Sunnyvale and what they pay.
- $64.77median pay per hour, San Jose
- $59–$77typical range per hour
- 700occupational therapists employed in the metro area
- 110cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
Occupational Therapist pay in Sunnyvale, CA
The metro median is 13% above the California statewide median of $57.44 per hour. Nationally the median is $47.28 per hour. BLS counts about 700 occupational therapists employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.63).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $41.23 | $85,760 | 13% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $59.40 | $123,550 | 26% above U.S. median |
| Median | $64.77 | $134,720 | 37% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $76.87 | $159,890 | 63% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $86.01 | $178,900 | 82% above U.S. median |
How Sunnyvale ranks
- 1st of 354 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 2nd of 327 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st 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 Sunnyvale
- Overall prices in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara run 10% above the U.S. average (index 110.4, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 112% above the U.S. average (index 211.9).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $64.77 median hour buys what $58.66 buys at the national price level, 24% 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.
Get the Sunnyvale Occupational Therapist pay report
Named employers near Sunnyvale, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportEstimate your Sunnyvale paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$2,332
- Per year: $116,586
- Per month: $9,715
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Sunnyvale
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $192 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $92 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,988 |
| 13-week assignment | $25,844 |
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).
Open Occupational Therapist roles in California
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Sunnyvale as they open.
PermanentPosted today
Occupational Therapist Home Health
CommonSpirit Health · Rancho Cordova, CA
$49.78–$74.05/ hour
New this week
For youUpdated weekly
230+ more Occupational Therapist roles for you in California
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 today
Occupational Therapist
Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · National City, CA
$54.00–$54.00/ hour
New this week
Per diemPosted 2 days ago
Occupational Therapist II
CommonSpirit Health · Camarillo, CA
$61.35–$72.92/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Occupational Therapist
Kaweah Delta Health Care District · Visalia, CA
$50.24–$75.36/ hour
New this week
Per diemPosted 2 days ago
Occupational Therapist I
CommonSpirit Health · Camarillo, CA
$48.50–$57.65/ hour
New this week
Hospitals in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area
CMS lists 10 hospitals in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, 2 of the 6 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of occupational therapists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Va Medical Center Palo Alto, CA | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| El Camino Health Mountain View, CA | Acute care | Government and federal | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Jose San Jose, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital-Santa Clara Santa Clara, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Santa Clara Valley Medical Center San Jose, CA | Acute care | Government and federal | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Hollister, CA | Critical access | Government and federal | Not rated | Yes |
| Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp At Stanford Palo Alto, CA | Children's | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
| Kaiser Permanente Psychiatric Health Facility-Sant Santa Clara, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | Yes |
| San Jose Behavioral Health San Jose, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View, CA | 3 mi | $64.77/hr | 87,316 |
| Santa Clara, CA | 4 mi | $64.77/hr | 133,132 |
| Fremont, CA | 9 mi | $62.00/hr | 228,192 |
| Redwood City, CA | 14 mi | $62.00/hr | 82,982 |
| Union City, CA | 15 mi | $62.00/hr | 66,196 |
| Hayward, CA | 17 mi | $62.00/hr | 158,440 |
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 Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do occupational therapists make in Sunnyvale, CA?
Occupational Therapists in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area have a median pay of $64.77 per hour, about $134,720 a year. The middle half earn between $59.40 and $76.87 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Sunnyvale a good place for occupational therapists once cost of living is counted?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks 2nd of 327 metro areas for occupational therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 1st of 354 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Where do occupational therapists work in Sunnyvale?
CMS lists 10 hospitals in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, led by Palo Alto Va Medical Center. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a California license to work in Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale?
The federal per diem benchmark in Sunnyvale is $192 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,988 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place occupational therapists in Sunnyvale?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Sunnyvale and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Sunnyvale.
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What do employers near Sunnyvale 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.
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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 reportSunnyvale, 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.