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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

29-1122 Occupational Therapists

Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual’s environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual. Excludes “Rehabilitation Counselors” (21-1015).


National estimates for Occupational Therapists
Industry profile for Occupational Therapists
Geographic profile for Occupational Therapists

National estimates for Occupational Therapists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Occupational Therapists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
127,830 1.3 % $ 43.02 $ 89,470 0.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Occupational Therapists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 29.17 $ 36.40 $ 41.14 $ 48.31 $ 59.54
Annual Wage (2) $ 60,680 $ 75,710 $ 85,570 $ 100,490 $ 123,840


Industry profile for Occupational Therapists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Occupational Therapists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Occupational Therapists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Occupational Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 34,380 3.53 $ 42.16 $ 87,690
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 29,200 0.52 $ 44.04 $ 91,600
Elementary and Secondary Schools 15,630 0.19 $ 37.73 $ 78,480
Home Health Care Services 11,160 0.74 $ 49.34 $ 102,640
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 9,260 0.66 $ 46.31 $ 96,320

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Occupational Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 34,380 3.53 $ 42.16 $ 87,690
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 8,230 3.05 $ 45.40 $ 94,420
Home Health Care Services 11,160 0.74 $ 49.34 $ 102,640
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 9,260 0.66 $ 46.31 $ 96,320
Educational Support Services 1,250 0.64 $ 39.19 $ 81,520

Top paying industries for Occupational Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Home Health Care Services 11,160 0.74 $ 49.34 $ 102,640
Management of Companies and Enterprises 420 0.02 $ 48.41 $ 100,700
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 110 0.04 $ 47.17 $ 98,120
Child Day Care Services 560 0.07 $ 47.11 $ 97,980
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 980 0.11 $ 46.93 $ 97,620


Geographic profile for Occupational Therapists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Occupational Therapists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Occupational Therapists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of occupational therapists by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Occupational Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 11,460 0.69 0.76 $ 50.85 $ 105,760
Texas 8,500 0.70 0.77 $ 46.20 $ 96,100
New York 8,320 0.96 1.06 $ 44.80 $ 93,190
Florida 6,770 0.79 0.87 $ 41.65 $ 86,640
Pennsylvania 6,710 1.20 1.32 $ 42.57 $ 88,540


Map of location quotient of occupational therapists by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Occupational Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maine 990 1.67 1.84 $ 35.76 $ 74,380
New Hampshire 920 1.45 1.60 $ 39.82 $ 82,820
Connecticut 2,280 1.45 1.60 $ 45.21 $ 94,040
Massachusetts 4,820 1.42 1.57 $ 42.33 $ 88,040
Colorado 3,710 1.41 1.56 $ 44.83 $ 93,250


Map of annual mean wages of occupational therapists by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Occupational Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 850 0.66 0.73 $ 52.41 $ 109,010
California 11,460 0.69 0.76 $ 50.85 $ 105,760
New Jersey 3,960 1.03 1.13 $ 48.14 $ 100,140
Texas 8,500 0.70 0.77 $ 46.20 $ 96,100
New Mexico 740 0.96 1.06 $ 45.70 $ 95,060



Map of employment of occupational therapists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Occupational Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 7,820 0.90 0.99 $ 48.91 $ 101,730
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 5,040 1.19 1.31 $ 41.57 $ 86,470
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,550 0.80 0.88 $ 50.55 $ 105,150
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 3,750 1.41 1.56 $ 45.88 $ 95,440
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 3,520 1.36 1.50 $ 42.41 $ 88,200
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,400 0.67 0.74 $ 47.29 $ 98,360
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 2,140 1.46 1.61 $ 45.82 $ 95,300
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,100 0.81 0.89 $ 42.79 $ 89,000
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,080 0.71 0.78 $ 47.13 $ 98,020
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,020 1.11 1.22 $ 39.27 $ 81,680


Map of location quotient of occupational therapists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Occupational Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 100 2.52 2.78 $ 42.00 $ 87,350
Rochester, MN 280 2.44 2.69 $ 39.82 $ 82,820
Johnstown, PA 110 2.25 2.48 $ 37.22 $ 77,430
Bay City, MI 70 2.14 2.36 $ 36.50 $ 75,920
New Bedford, MA 130 2.07 2.28 $ 43.31 $ 90,090
Grand Junction, CO 120 1.95 2.15 $ 42.56 $ 88,530
Waterbury, CT 120 1.94 2.14 $ 43.93 $ 91,370
Worcester, MA-CT 520 1.92 2.11 $ 42.22 $ 87,820
Bangor, ME 120 1.89 2.08 $ 36.17 $ 75,230
Lewiston-Auburn, ME 90 1.84 2.03 $ 35.32 $ 73,470