Skip to salary data
Salaries

Occupational Therapist.

Atlanta.

$99,000

median salary, 1% above the national average

$81,000 to $111,000. Last updated August 2026.

Close the job.

Get the job.

Data points to own the conversation.

Occupational Therapist pay in Atlanta ranges from $81,000 to $111,000 in 2026. The median is $99,000, 1% above the national average. Atlanta is a logistics and corporate powerhouse, home to Coca Cola, Delta, Home Depot, and UPS. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. 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.

Salary range.

25th Percentile

$81,000

per year

Median

$99,000

per year

75th Percentile

$111,000

per year

Where do you fall?

$81,000$111,000

Orbyt estimate for Occupational Therapist in Atlanta, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.

Government benchmark for this occupation

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $106,160 for Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan area, based on 2,120 employed workers (May 2025 release).

10th percentile

$76,600

25th percentile

$86,860

Median

$106,160

75th percentile

$122,970

90th percentile

$131,010

Workers surveyed

2,120

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 Atlanta 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

Salary by experience.

The gap between entry and lead level is typically $89,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.

Entry (0-2 yrs)

$64,000

to $79,000

Mid (3-5 yrs)

$84,000

to $104,000

Senior (6-9 yrs)

$109,000

to $129,000

Lead (10+ yrs)

$124,000

to $153,000

Total compensation.

Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $26,000 to the total package.

Base

$99,000

Equity

$15,000

Bonus

$9,000

Signing

$2,000

Estimated total: $125,000

How Atlanta compares.

Atlanta, GA

$99,000

Cost of living: 2% above average

National Average

$98,000

Atlanta is $1,000 above

Occupational Therapist salary by city.

Occupational Therapist salary comparison across 10 cities
CityMedianRangeCOLAdjusted
San Francisco, CA$135,000$110,000 to $151,0001.35x$100,000
San Jose, CA$131,000$107,000 to $147,0001.38x$95,000
Washington DC, DC$127,000$104,000 to $143,0001.25x$102,000
Seattle, WA$126,000$103,000 to $142,0001.24x$102,000
Honolulu, HI$124,000$101,000 to $139,0001.30x$95,000
New York, NY$123,000$100,000 to $138,0001.28x$96,000
Boston, MA$121,000$99,000 to $136,0001.22x$99,000
Newark, NJ$118,000$96,000 to $132,0001.18x$100,000
San Diego, CA$117,000$95,000 to $131,0001.17x$100,000
Atlanta, GA$99,000$81,000 to $111,0001.02x$97,000

See all 81 cities for Occupational Therapist →

Salary by role in Atlanta.

Salary comparison by role in Atlanta
RoleMedianRange
CTO$312,000$243,000 to $406,000
CEO$283,000$206,000 to $391,000
General Counsel$277,000$216,000 to $360,000
Programmer$101,000$73,000 to $132,000
Civil Engineer$101,000$80,000 to $129,000
Physical Therapist$100,000$82,000 to $116,000
Mechanical Engineer$100,000$80,000 to $127,000
Occupational Therapist$99,000$81,000 to $111,000

What you should know.

If you are interviewing for Occupational Therapist roles in Atlanta, here is what you are walking into. Atlanta is a logistics and corporate powerhouse, home to Coca Cola, Delta, Home Depot, and UPS. The city's tech scene has expanded rapidly with major investments from Google, Microsoft, and a thriving fintech community. Atlanta offers strong salaries relative to its moderate cost of living, making it one of the best value metros for professionals. 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. In Atlanta, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.

Base salary is not the full picture. 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. And on the tax side: georgia has a graduated income tax with a top rate of 5.49%. Atlanta does not impose a separate city income tax, keeping the combined burden below most northeastern cities. When someone quotes you $99,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Mention Atlanta's role as a regional tech capital. Employers are investing heavily to retain talent against poaching from coastal firms offering remote positions. The range for Occupational Therapists in Atlanta runs from $81,000 to $111,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology

Interactive

Is your offer competitive?

Enter your Occupational Therapist offer to see where you stand in Atlanta.

$

25th

$81,000

Median

$99,000

75th

$111,000

Considering a related role?

  • A Physical Therapist in Atlanta earns $100,000 (1% more)
  • The highest-paying role in Atlanta is CTO at $312,000

Common questions.

Hand therapy is the highest-paying OT specialty, with certified hand therapists earning $95,000 to $115,000. Acute care and neuro-rehabilitation also pay above average due to clinical complexity and the need for advanced assessment skills.

School-based OTs typically earn 10 to 20% less than hospital-based peers, with salaries averaging $65,000 to $82,000. However, they benefit from school calendars with summers off, pension plans, and strong job security in public districts.

The national median for an Occupational Therapist is $97,059. In Atlanta, cost of living adjustments push the median to $99,000. That premium reflects Atlanta's higher housing, transportation, and everyday costs.

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. In Atlanta's market, the base range of $81,000 to $111,000 is just the starting point for negotiation.

In 2026, the average Occupational Therapist salary in Atlanta, GA is $99,000. The estimated range runs from $81,000 to $111,000. Where you land depends on your experience, the company's size, and the specific skills you bring.

Remote work has compressed geographic salary premiums for Occupational Therapists. Some Atlanta employers offer location adjusted pay, while others maintain local rates to attract in office talent. In Atlanta's moderate cost market, remote and local salaries are converging. The $81,000 to $111,000 range reflects both arrangements.

Ask about equity structure, vesting schedule, annual bonus targets, 401(k) match, health insurance premiums, PTO policy, and remote flexibility. OTs typically receive CEU allowances, student loan assistance programs, and comprehensive health benefits. In Atlanta's market, these extras can add $24,750 or more on top of the base salary.

Occupational Therapist salary in other cities.

Other salaries in Atlanta.

Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Occupational Therapists in Atlanta.

Related tools.

Do you work as an occupational therapist in Atlanta?

Your individual figure is never published. Submissions appear only as aggregate percentiles, and nothing is shown for a role and city until at least five people have reported. It is stored against your account, which is what keeps the dataset clean.

Add your salary

Cite this data

Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.

"Occupational Therapist Salary in Atlanta, GA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/occupational-therapist/atlanta

Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget. One script tag, free forever.

Share

LinkedInX

Was this helpful?

You have the data.

Now own the conversation.

Start tracking your offers

Related tools

Salary CalculatorTake-Home PayTotal CompensationInterview PrepResume ScoreOrbyt JobsIntelligence API