Occupational Therapist.
Fargo.
$82,000
median salary, 16% below the national average
$67,000 to $92,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Fargo is 15% cheaper than the national average. For Occupational Therapists, that shakes out to a median of $82,000, with the full range spanning $67,000 to $92,000. Practice setting is the primary salary driver, with acute care hospitals and home health paying above outpatient and school-based roles. Know the range before you walk in. 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.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Occupational Therapist in Fargo, 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 $81,870 for Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) in the Fargo, ND-MN metropolitan area, based on 210 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$66,840
25th percentile
$77,080
Median
$81,870
75th percentile
$99,150
90th percentile
$106,300
Workers surveyed
210
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 Fargo 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 29-1122Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $74,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$53,000
to $66,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$70,000
to $86,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$90,000
to $107,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$103,000
to $127,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.
Base
$82,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $104,000
How Fargo compares.
Fargo, ND
$82,000
Cost of living: 15% below average
National Average
$98,000
Fargo is $16,000 below
Occupational Therapist salary by city.
Salary by role in Fargo.
What you should know.
Here is what the Occupational Therapist market actually looks like in Fargo. Fargo has a surprisingly strong technology sector, home to companies like Microsoft's campus and a growing startup ecosystem tied to North Dakota State University. The city's extremely low cost of living and emerging tech scene make it an increasingly attractive option for professionals seeking affordability. 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 Fargo, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 15% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
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: north Dakota has a very low income tax with a top rate of just 2.5%. Fargo has no city income tax. The minimal tax burden combined with low living costs creates excellent take home pay. When someone quotes you $82,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight willingness to work on site. Fargo tech employers struggle to recruit talent to the region and reward candidates who commit to living locally. The range for Occupational Therapists in Fargo runs from $67,000 to $92,000. 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
Considering a related role?
- A Dental Hygienist in Fargo earns $81,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Fargo is CTO at $258,000
Common questions.
Occupational Therapist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Fargo.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Occupational Therapist Salary in Fargo, ND." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/occupational-therapist/fargo
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