Occupational Therapist Salary.

Q: How much does a Occupational Therapist make?

Orbyt estimates the national median Occupational Therapist salary at $98,000 in 2026, within a range of $80,000 to $110,000. This is a computed estimate, not a measured wage. Where you land depends on your experience, skills, the company's size, and your location.

Q: What is the Occupational Therapist salary range by experience level?

Entry level Occupational Therapists (0 to 2 years) typically earn $64,000 to $78,000. Mid level (3 to 5 years) run $83,000 to $103,000. Senior (6 to 9 years) reach $108,000 to $127,000, and lead level (10 plus years) $123,000 to $152,000.

Q: What is the entry level Occupational Therapist salary?

Entry level Occupational Therapist roles start around $64,000 to $78,000. Candidates with strong internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate toward the national median of $98,000.

Q: Is Occupational Therapist a well paid career?

With a national median of $98,000 and senior pay reaching $127,000 to $152,000, Occupational Therapist is a well compensated field. Pay varies by city, so compare cost of living adjusted numbers before judging any single offer.

Across 81 U.S. cities.

$98,000

estimated national base salary

$80,000 to $110,000. Last updated September 2026.

Close the job.

Government benchmark for this occupation

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $100,330 for Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) across the United States, based on 162,450 employed workers (May 2025 release).

10th percentile

$71,690

25th percentile

$82,510

Median

$100,330

75th percentile

$116,670

90th percentile

$131,950

Workers surveyed

162,450

What BLS published in each release

May 2024 release

$98,340

May 2025 release

$100,330

These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.

BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) rather than Occupational Therapist specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.

View the BLS source for SOC 29-1122

Highest Paying

$135,000

San Francisco, CA

Best Purchasing Power

$102,000

Washington DC, DC

Lowest Paying

$74,000

Charleston, WV

The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated September 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 29-1122. Full methodology.

Orbyt estimates the average Occupational Therapist salary in the United States at $98,000 in 2026, within a range of $80,000 to $110,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Francisco is the highest of the 81 cities at $135,000, while Washington DC offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Practice setting is the primary salary driver, with acute care hospitals and home health paying above outpatient and school-based roles.

Occupational Therapist salary by city.

Salary comparison across 81 cities
City	Median	Range	COL	Adjusted	Rank
San Francisco, CA	$135,000	$110,000 to $151,000	1.35x	$100,000	#3075 of 3445
San Jose, CA	$131,000	$107,000 to $147,000	1.38x	$95,000	#3189 of 3445
Washington DC, DC	$127,000	$104,000 to $143,000	1.25x	$102,000	#3029 of 3445
Seattle, WA	$126,000	$103,000 to $142,000	1.24x	$102,000	#3031 of 3445
Honolulu, HI	$124,000	$101,000 to $139,000	1.30x	$95,000	#3188 of 3445
New York, NY	$123,000	$100,000 to $138,000	1.28x	$96,000	#3169 of 3445
Arlington, VA	$122,000	$100,000 to $137,000	1.22x	$100,000	#3092 of 3445
Boston, MA	$121,000	$99,000 to $136,000	1.22x	$99,000	#3117 of 3445
Newark, NJ	$118,000	$96,000 to $132,000	1.18x	$100,000	#3081 of 3445
San Diego, CA	$117,000	$95,000 to $131,000	1.17x	$100,000	#3089 of 3445
Boulder, CO	$116,000	$95,000 to $130,000	1.15x	$101,000	#3062 of 3445
Jersey City, NJ	$115,000	$94,000 to $129,000	1.20x	$96,000	#3172 of 3445
Los Angeles, CA	$113,000	$93,000 to $127,000	1.18x	$96,000	#3172 of 3445
Anchorage, AK	$111,000	$90,000 to $124,000	1.13x	$98,000	#3141 of 3445
Princeton, NJ	$110,000	$90,000 to $124,000	1.15x	$96,000	#3174 of 3445
Philadelphia, PA	$109,000	$89,000 to $122,000	1.09x	$100,000	#3098 of 3445
Baltimore, MD	$109,000	$89,000 to $122,000	1.08x	$101,000	#3058 of 3445
Denver, CO	$108,000	$88,000 to $121,000	1.08x	$100,000	#3080 of 3445
Portland, OR	$108,000	$88,000 to $121,000	1.10x	$98,000	#3143 of 3445
Hartford, CT	$107,000	$87,000 to $120,000	1.08x	$99,000	#3117 of 3445
Manchester, NH	$107,000	$87,000 to $120,000	1.06x	$101,000	#3053 of 3445
Miami, FL	$105,000	$86,000 to $118,000	1.12x	$94,000	#3197 of 3445
Portland, ME	$105,000	$86,000 to $118,000	1.05x	$100,000	#3074 of 3445
Providence, RI	$105,000	$86,000 to $118,000	1.04x	$101,000	#3049 of 3445
Chicago, IL	$104,000	$85,000 to $117,000	1.07x	$97,000	#3150 of 3445
Burlington, VT	$104,000	$85,000 to $117,000	1.06x	$98,000	#3152 of 3445
Sacramento, CA	$103,000	$84,000 to $116,000	1.10x	$94,000	#3198 of 3445
Ann Arbor, MI	$103,000	$84,000 to $116,000	1.02x	$101,000	#3046 of 3445
Austin, TX	$101,000	$82,000 to $113,000	1.03x	$98,000	#3150 of 3445
Raleigh, NC	$101,000	$82,000 to $113,000	0.99x	$102,000	#3024 of 3445
Wilmington, DE	$101,000	$82,000 to $113,000	1.02x	$99,000	#3120 of 3445
Dallas, TX	$100,000	$82,000 to $112,000	1.01x	$99,000	#3116 of 3445
Atlanta, GA	$99,000	$81,000 to $111,000	1.02x	$97,000	#3150 of 3445
Minneapolis, MN	$99,000	$81,000 to $111,000	1.05x	$94,000	#3192 of 3445
Charleston, SC	$99,000	$81,000 to $111,000	0.98x	$101,000	#3061 of 3445
Richmond, VA	$99,000	$81,000 to $111,000	1.01x	$98,000	#3134 of 3445
Salt Lake City, UT	$98,000	$80,000 to $110,000	0.98x	$100,000	#3088 of 3445
Phoenix, AZ	$97,000	$79,000 to $109,000	0.96x	$101,000	#3056 of 3445
Orlando, FL	$97,000	$79,000 to $109,000	0.95x	$102,000	#3008 of 3445
Madison, WI	$97,000	$79,000 to $109,000	0.95x	$102,000	#3025 of 3445
Tampa, FL	$96,000	$78,000 to $108,000	0.96x	$100,000	#3085 of 3445
Virginia Beach, VA	$96,000	$78,000 to $108,000	0.98x	$98,000	#3136 of 3445
Reno, NV	$95,000	$78,000 to $107,000	0.96x	$99,000	#3122 of 3445
North Charleston, SC	$95,000	$77,000 to $107,000	0.94x	$101,000	#3052 of 3445
Houston, TX	$94,000	$77,000 to $106,000	0.97x	$97,000	#3153 of 3445
Nashville, TN	$94,000	$77,000 to $106,000	1.00x	$94,000	#3205 of 3445
Boise, ID	$94,000	$77,000 to $106,000	0.95x	$99,000	#3114 of 3445
Charlotte, NC	$93,000	$76,000 to $105,000	0.97x	$96,000	#3177 of 3445
Columbus, OH	$93,000	$76,000 to $104,000	0.93x	$100,000	#3083 of 3445
Spokane, WA	$93,000	$76,000 to $104,000	0.92x	$101,000	#3057 of 3445
Detroit, MI	$92,000	$75,000 to $103,000	0.90x	$102,000	#3032 of 3445
Pittsburgh, PA	$92,000	$75,000 to $103,000	0.92x	$100,000	#3080 of 3445
New Orleans, LA	$92,000	$75,000 to $103,000	0.92x	$100,000	#3082 of 3445
Albany, NY	$92,000	$75,000 to $103,000	0.96x	$96,000	#3180 of 3445
Columbia, SC	$92,000	$75,000 to $103,000	0.90x	$102,000	#3030 of 3445
Kansas City, MO	$91,000	$74,000 to $102,000	0.93x	$98,000	#3141 of 3445
St. Louis, MO	$91,000	$74,000 to $102,000	0.90x	$101,000	#3037 of 3445
Las Vegas, NV	$91,000	$74,000 to $102,000	0.96x	$95,000	#3188 of 3445
San Antonio, TX	$91,000	$74,000 to $102,000	0.91x	$100,000	#3083 of 3445
Indianapolis, IN	$90,000	$74,000 to $101,000	0.91x	$99,000	#3118 of 3445
Albuquerque, NM	$90,000	$73,000 to $101,000	0.88x	$102,000	#3006 of 3445
Columbus, OH	$90,000	$74,000 to $101,000	0.93x	$97,000	#3156 of 3445
Milwaukee, WI	$89,000	$73,000 to $100,000	0.91x	$98,000	#3139 of 3445
Cincinnati, OH	$89,000	$73,000 to $100,000	0.90x	$99,000	#3119 of 3445
Baton Rouge, LA	$88,000	$72,000 to $99,000	0.88x	$100,000	#3083 of 3445
Knoxville, TN	$87,000	$71,000 to $98,000	0.89x	$98,000	#3139 of 3445
Louisville, KY	$86,000	$70,000 to $97,000	0.88x	$98,000	#3149 of 3445
Lexington, KY	$86,000	$70,000 to $96,000	0.86x	$100,000	#3080 of 3445
Omaha, NE	$85,000	$69,000 to $95,000	0.88x	$97,000	#3155 of 3445
Oklahoma City, OK	$85,000	$69,000 to $95,000	0.84x	$101,000	#3048 of 3445
Cheyenne, WY	$85,000	$70,000 to $96,000	0.87x	$98,000	#3135 of 3445
Des Moines, IA	$83,000	$68,000 to $94,000	0.86x	$97,000	#3162 of 3445
Sioux Falls, SD	$83,000	$68,000 to $94,000	0.85x	$98,000	#3138 of 3445
Fargo, ND	$82,000	$67,000 to $92,000	0.85x	$96,000	#3155 of 3445
Des Moines, IA	$81,000	$66,000 to $91,000	0.86x	$94,000	#3193 of 3445
Birmingham, AL	$79,000	$65,000 to $89,000	0.84x	$94,000	#3199 of 3445
Tulsa, OK	$79,000	$64,000 to $89,000	0.83x	$95,000	#3186 of 3445
Little Rock, AR	$78,000	$64,000 to $87,000	0.82x	$95,000	#3181 of 3445
Jackson, MS	$78,000	$64,000 to $88,000	0.79x	$99,000	#3106 of 3445
Wichita, KS	$77,000	$63,000 to $87,000	0.82x	$94,000	#3203 of 3445
Charleston, WV	$74,000	$61,000 to $83,000	0.78x	$95,000	#3185 of 3445

Skills that increase Occupational Therapist pay.

The premiums below are Orbyt's modelled scenarios for Occupational Therapists, not effects measured from job postings: each is a fixed percentage applied to the estimated base. At the top premium that works out to $13,720 a year.

LLM Fine-Tuning+14%

≈ +$13,720 per year

Reinforcement Learning+13%

≈ +$12,740 per year

CUDA+12%

≈ +$11,760 per year

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)+11%

≈ +$10,780 per year

Kubernetes+11%

≈ +$10,780 per year

Transformers+10%

≈ +$9,800 per year

Rust+10%

≈ +$9,800 per year

PyTorch+9%

≈ +$8,820 per year

See all 35 skill premiums →

What you should know.

Practice setting is the primary salary driver, with acute care hospitals and home health paying above outpatient and school-based roles. Hand therapy certification commands a notable premium. States with higher Medicaid reimbursement rates and metropolitan areas with greater demand also push compensation upward.

New OTs start around $68,000 to $78,000 depending on setting. Mid-career OTs with specialty certifications reach $88,000 to $100,000. OT directors or program managers in hospital systems can earn $105,000 to $125,000 with administrative and clinical oversight responsibilities.

OTs typically receive CEU allowances, student loan assistance programs, and comprehensive health benefits. Some employers offer productivity bonuses tied to billable units, adding $3,000 to $8,000 annually for high-performing therapists.

Total compensation breakdown.

Base Salary

$98,000

Equity / Year

$10,000

Annual Bonus

$8,000

Total Comp

$116,000

Salary by company size

Startup

< 50 employees

$83,000

Growth

50-500 employees

$91,000

Scale-up

500-5K employees

$98,000

Public

5K+ employees

$116,000

Remote salary adjustment

Remote Occupational Therapists typically earn $88,000 (10% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.

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Common questions about Occupational Therapist pay.

Orbyt estimates the national median Occupational Therapist salary at $98,000 in 2026, within a range of $80,000 to $110,000. This is a computed estimate, not a measured wage. Where you land depends on your experience, skills, the company's size, and your location.

Entry level Occupational Therapists (0 to 2 years) typically earn $64,000 to $78,000. Mid level (3 to 5 years) run $83,000 to $103,000. Senior (6 to 9 years) reach $108,000 to $127,000, and lead level (10 plus years) $123,000 to $152,000.

Entry level Occupational Therapist roles start around $64,000 to $78,000. Candidates with strong internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate toward the national median of $98,000.

With a national median of $98,000 and senior pay reaching $127,000 to $152,000, Occupational Therapist is a well compensated field. Pay varies by city, so compare cost of living adjusted numbers before judging any single offer.

You have the data.

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Close the job.

Occupational Therapist Salary.

Government benchmark for this occupation

Occupational Therapist salary by city.

Skills that increase Occupational Therapist pay.

What you should know.

Total compensation breakdown.

Salary by company size

Remote salary adjustment

Are you an Occupational Therapist?

Related.

Common questions about Occupational Therapist pay.

How much does a Occupational Therapist make?

What is the Occupational Therapist salary range by experience level?

What is the entry level Occupational Therapist salary?

Is Occupational Therapist a well paid career?

What is the total compensation for a Occupational Therapist?

What is the career path for a Occupational Therapist?

You have the data.