Occupational Therapist salary
The median occupational therapist pay is $48.37 per hour, or about $100,610 a year, based on 328 postings with published pay from 60 employers. Collected October 15, 2026.
- 328roles with published pay
- $48.37median pay per hour
- $36–$65typical published range
- 60employers hiring
Pay percentiles, per hour and per year
| Level | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41.79 | $86,929 |
| 25th percentile | $43.22 | $89,898 |
| Median | $48.37 | $100,610 |
| 75th percentile | $56.92 | $118,394 |
| 90th percentile | $62.81 | $130,636 |
Occupational Therapist salary by state, BLS data
Nationally the BLS median is $47.28 per hour, about $98,340 a year, across 152,280 workers. Pick a state for its metro areas, rankings and open roles.
| State | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $57.44 | $119,470 | 12,020 |
| Oregon | $51.37 | $106,840 | 1,420 |
| Nevada | $50.37 | $104,770 | 1,090 |
| Oklahoma | $49.76 | $103,510 | 1,230 |
| New Jersey | $49.69 | $103,340 | 4,830 |
| Washington | $49.21 | $102,360 | 3,410 |
| Arizona | $49.14 | $102,220 | 2,390 |
| Connecticut | $49.08 | $102,080 | 3,000 |
| Maryland | $48.98 | $101,880 | 2,650 |
| Texas | $48.93 | $101,760 | 11,700 |
| Virginia | $48.34 | $100,540 | 3,670 |
| Alaska | $48.11 | $100,070 | 340 |
| Arkansas | $47.76 | $99,350 | 1,740 |
| District of Columbia | $47.73 | $99,290 | 530 |
| New Mexico | $47.70 | $99,220 | 860 |
| Rhode Island | $47.67 | $99,150 | 760 |
| Florida | $47.63 | $99,070 | 9,230 |
| Illinois | $47.55 | $98,900 | 7,410 |
| Georgia | $47.45 | $98,690 | 3,670 |
| Massachusetts | $47.32 | $98,420 | 6,250 |
| South Carolina | $46.81 | $97,370 | 1,940 |
| Kansas | $46.63 | $97,000 | 1,650 |
| Delaware | $46.19 | $96,080 | 480 |
| Tennessee | $46.17 | $96,030 | 2,490 |
| Ohio | $46.09 | $95,880 | 6,480 |
| Alabama | $45.87 | $95,410 | 1,390 |
| New York | $45.85 | $95,370 | 10,540 |
| North Carolina | $45.47 | $94,580 | 4,910 |
| Hawaii | $45.46 | $94,550 | 340 |
| Pennsylvania | $45.25 | $94,120 | 7,200 |
| Louisiana | $45.21 | $94,030 | 2,030 |
| Missouri | $45.00 | $93,600 | 2,850 |
| Indiana | $44.95 | $93,500 | 3,440 |
| Utah | $44.86 | $93,310 | 970 |
| West Virginia | $44.84 | $93,260 | 680 |
| Mississippi | $44.39 | $92,330 | 1,120 |
| Kentucky | $43.87 | $91,250 | 2,110 |
| Wyoming | $42.97 | $89,370 | 350 |
| Iowa | $42.68 | $88,780 | 1,170 |
| Idaho | $42.54 | $88,470 | 630 |
| Nebraska | $41.83 | $87,010 | 1,500 |
| Wisconsin | $41.66 | $86,660 | 3,620 |
| Vermont | $41.55 | $86,420 | 340 |
| Minnesota | $40.88 | $85,040 | 3,360 |
| New Hampshire | $40.86 | $84,980 | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $40.61 | $84,480 | 5,090 |
| Montana | $40.60 | $84,440 | 510 |
| Maine | $39.52 | $82,200 | 1,000 |
| South Dakota | $39.15 | $81,430 | 520 |
| North Dakota | $38.42 | $79,910 | 610 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Occupational Therapists.
Highest-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64.77 | $134,720 | 700 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $64.35 | $133,850 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $62.42 | $129,830 | 90 |
| Chico, CA | $62.01 | $128,980 | 80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $62.00 | $128,960 | 1,510 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $60.68 | $126,220 | 90 |
| Napa, CA | $59.94 | $124,680 | 40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $59.57 | $123,900 | 650 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $57.65 | $119,920 | 140 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $57.48 | $119,550 | 160 |
Occupational Therapist pay by state
| State | Postings | Median / hour | Median / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 38 | $62.50 | $130,000 |
| Washington | 22 | $60.76 | $126,381 |
| Oregon | 5 | $59.42 | $123,594 |
| Nevada | 3 | $57.50 | $119,600 |
| Virginia | 25 | $56.92 | $118,394 |
| Arizona | 7 | $56 | $116,480 |
| Georgia | 8 | $55.98 | $116,428 |
| South Carolina | 6 | $54.30 | $112,934 |
| Tennessee | 5 | $52.50 | $109,200 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | $52.50 | $109,200 |
| Colorado | 18 | $50.51 | $105,061 |
| Florida | 12 | $50.50 | $105,040 |
| New York | 9 | $49.49 | $102,939 |
| Massachusetts | 16 | $49.06 | $102,045 |
| New Jersey | 7 | $48.18 | $100,214 |
| North Carolina | 13 | $47.75 | $99,320 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | $47.50 | $98,800 |
| Kentucky | 4 | $46.30 | $96,304 |
| Indiana | 3 | $44.30 | $92,144 |
| Texas | 6 | $44.22 | $91,988 |
Occupational Therapist wage offers in federal filings
What employers reported they would pay, alongside what they publish.
| State | Wage offers | Typical range / hr | Median / hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 72 | $47–$64 | $55 |
| Virginia | 8 | $38–$52 | $45.62 |
| Washington | 9 | $41–$47 | $42.28 |
| New York | 37 | $25–$47 | $38.29 |
| Texas | 21 | $33–$47 | $36.57 |
| Connecticut | 10 | $37–$37 | $36.56 |
| Arizona | 5 | $36–$42 | $36.06 |
| New Jersey | 13 | $35–$40 | $35.96 |
| Maryland | 14 | $36–$46 | $35.60 |
| Rhode Island | 6 | $35–$35 | $35.40 |
| Massachusetts | 14 | $34–$38 | $35.40 |
| Florida | 15 | $33–$41 | $35.06 |
| Wisconsin | 11 | $34–$35 | $34.55 |
| Indiana | 11 | $32–$34 | $34.41 |
Employer-reported wage offers in PERM and LCA filings with the U.S. Department of Labor, decided July 2025 – June 2026: 338 distinct offers, median $36.50 per hour. They are not job postings. The table lists states with at least 5 offers.
Who pays what
| Employer | Postings | Median / hour | Median / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| MarinHealth | 1 | $67.90 | $141,232 |
| Montage Health | 4 | $67.73 | $140,889 |
| Kaweah Delta Health Care District | 5 | $62.80 | $130,624 |
| Enloe Medical Center | 1 | $62.34 | $129,667 |
| Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System | 1 | $62.23 | $129,438 |
| NewYork-Presbyterian | 3 | $61.99 | $128,939 |
| MultiCare | 14 | $61.35 | $127,608 |
| Seattle Children's | 3 | $60.17 | $125,154 |
| Amedisys | 35 | $60 | $124,800 |
| Sharp HealthCare | 1 | $59.96 | $124,717 |
What moves your pay
- Experience and credentials: certifications and years in the specialty usually move you up the published range.
- Shift: nights, weekends and holidays often add a differential on top of the base range.
- Setting: academic centers, trauma hospitals and large systems often publish higher ranges than community sites.
- Location: pay follows local cost of living and demand, so compare cities, not only states.
Method
Figures are the midpoints of pay ranges that employers published in 328 postings from 60 employers, collected October 15, 2026. They are not survey estimates and do not include overtime or bonuses.
Common questions
How much does a occupational therapist make?
The median occupational therapist pay across 328 postings with published pay is $48.37 per hour, about $100,610 a year. Half of the postings fall between $43 and $57 per hour.
Which states pay occupational therapists the most?
Among states with at least 3 postings, the highest medians are California ($62.50/hr), Washington ($60.76/hr), Oregon ($59.42/hr).
What do occupational therapists get paid at other hospitals in California?
- Montage HealthMonterey, CA$67.73/hr
- CommonSpirit HealthNORTHRIDGE, CA$64.73/hr
- Kaweah Delta Health Care DistrictVisalia, CA$62.80/hr
See all employers by name, how pay is moving and the roles that pay more.
Get the free pay reportFree for candidates · email onlyWhat do other employers pay occupational therapists near you?
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- 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.
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Your OT pay reportCalifornia · 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
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.