Healthcare · 70 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Occupational Therapist (2025)

The median Occupational Therapist salary is $136,870 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Tulsa, OK offers the best purchasing power at $124,827 adjusted.

The 70 cities below are ranked by median wage for Occupational Therapist, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Occupational Therapist relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$102,783

National Median

$136,870

Highest City

$78,770

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$136,870	$97,450, $169,990	195.8	$69,903	840
2	San Francisco, CA	$136,770	$96,250, $171,460	179.6	$76,153	1,560
3	Bakersfield, CA	$123,200	$79,590, $156,000	100.6	$122,465	170
4	Sacramento, CA	$122,780	$94,910, $154,940	124.7	$98,460	810
5	Austin, TX	$122,050	$80,040, $131,000	103	$118,495	1,600
6	Los Angeles, CA	$122,040	$82,840, $154,730	166	$73,518	4,950
7	San Diego, CA	$121,680	$92,790, $152,150	160.2	$75,955	1,620
8	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$119,530	$86,490, $150,490	122.4	$97,655	1,110
9	Fresno, CA	$116,690	$93,720, $150,750	105.5	$110,607	320
10	Portland, OR	$112,100	$85,490, $131,710	130.1	$86,164	730
11	Las Vegas, NV	$110,520	$86,120, $141,760	109	$101,394	860
12	Seattle, WA	$109,860	$83,650, $138,050	149.4	$73,534	2,020
13	Reno, NV	$109,090	$88,040, $125,250	106.5	$102,432	170
14	Tulsa, OK	$108,350	$70,790, $135,970	86.8	$124,827	370
15	San Antonio, TX	$107,650	$75,690, $131,620	91.5	$117,650	1,780
16	Denver, CO	$107,500	$79,170, $157,820	112.8	$95,301	1,870
17	Atlanta, GA	$106,160	$76,600, $131,010	99.2	$107,016	2,120
18	Dallas, TX	$106,110	$76,960, $145,780	104.1	$101,931	3,450
19	Colorado Springs, CO	$105,780	$81,370, $164,310	104.5	$101,225	520
20	Richmond, VA	$105,550	$76,930, $122,460	102.1	$103,379	740
21	Baltimore, MD	$105,490	$74,050, $128,960	114.2	$92,373	1,200
22	Bridgeport, CT	$105,240	$77,970, $135,450	137.5	$76,538	750
23	Phoenix, AZ	$105,060	$78,160, $133,680	100.7	$104,330	2,070
24	Little Rock, AR	$104,680	$65,160, $137,620	88.2	$118,685	760
25	Anchorage, AK	$103,680	$82,320, $134,180	127	$81,638	300
26	Houston, TX	$103,580	$78,790, $140,720	96.5	$107,337	2,700
27	Philadelphia, PA	$103,140	$77,130, $131,670	118.4	$87,111	3,410
28	Oklahoma City, OK	$103,080	$66,560, $133,490	86.5	$119,168	530
29	Washington, DC	$102,960	$79,650, $138,150	152.8	$67,382	2,640
30	New Orleans, LA	$102,520	$64,890, $124,870	95.9	$106,903	390
31	Greenville, SC	$102,340	$75,710, $116,510	90.1	$113,585	400
32	Boston, MA	$101,940	$74,670, $129,060	152.1	$67,022	4,790
33	Miami, FL	$101,480	$66,670, $120,910	123.1	$82,437	2,550
34	New York, NY	$101,460	$72,380, $144,090	187.2	$54,199	11,640
35	Tucson, AZ	$100,920	$80,550, $125,060	95.4	$105,786	310
36	Cincinnati, OH	$100,870	$79,250, $128,620	91.2	$110,603	1,360
37	Nashville, TN	$100,630	$70,590, $121,840	100.3	$100,329	710
38	Hartford, CT	$100,570	$75,560, $121,060	112.6	$89,316	1,140
39	Indianapolis, IN	$100,080	$78,280, $124,680	90.1	$111,077	1,660
40	Louisville, KY	$100,040	$75,640, $126,420	90.2	$110,909	710
41	Salt Lake City, UT	$99,980	$78,490, $128,860	101.4	$98,600	510
42	Memphis, TN	$99,960	$75,350, $123,460	84	$119,000	420
43	Chicago, IL	$99,860	$73,900, $136,160	107.3	$93,066	5,960
44	Kansas City, MO	$99,840	$70,890, $122,960	95.4	$104,654	1,360
45	Orlando, FL	$99,520	$64,410, $123,060	103.1	$96,528	1,160
46	Jacksonville, FL	$99,340	$74,730, $115,020	95.1	$104,458	890
47	Spokane, WA	$99,280	$81,480, $124,800	97.4	$101,930	320
48	Albuquerque, NM	$99,170	$74,150, $133,050	94	$105,500	550
49	Wichita, KS	$99,000	$74,070, $120,690	84	$117,857	320
50	Columbus, OH	$98,920	$65,060, $119,710	93.1	$106,251	1,370
51	Charlotte, NC	$98,450	$63,710, $121,090	96.7	$101,810	1,140
52	Boise, ID	$98,020	$74,320, $160,750	102.1	$96,004	420
53	Providence, RI	$98,000	$72,080, $126,440	119.4	$82,077	1,130
54	Tampa, FL	$97,720	$75,520, $112,020	99.6	$98,112	1,660
55	Greensboro, NC	$96,820	$59,150, $117,010	91.3	$106,046	270
56	Lexington, KY	$95,820	$67,360, $117,060	91.3	$104,951	320
57	St. Louis, MO	$95,770	$73,720, $117,460	90	$106,411	1,860
58	Madison, WI	$95,670	$74,480, $115,610	103.8	$92,168	610
59	Birmingham, AL	$95,250	$76,770, $127,050	90.4	$105,365	540
60	Knoxville, TN	$94,490	$58,870, $116,330	90.3	$104,640	290
61	Milwaukee, WI	$94,020	$75,820, $111,160	97.4	$96,530	1,220
62	Omaha, NE	$93,650	$71,100, $107,780	91.8	$102,015	820
63	Minneapolis, MN	$93,600	$67,360, $109,490	106.2	$88,136	2,590
64	Pittsburgh, PA	$90,860	$61,140, $116,630	92.3	$98,440	1,170
65	Detroit, MI	$89,600	$66,580, $107,140	95.1	$94,217	2,030
66	Albany, NY	$85,990	$61,880, $107,930	100.7	$85,392	550
67	Raleigh, NC	$84,080	$61,770, $121,210	99.8	$84,248	680
68	Rochester, NY	$81,750	$57,940, $109,810	92.9	$87,998	740
69	Buffalo, NY	$81,560	$60,560, $106,620	92.5	$88,173	970
70	Des Moines, IA	$78,770	$64,610, $108,770	93.3	$84,427	340

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Occupational Therapist paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Tulsa, OK	$124,827	$108,350	86.8
2	Bakersfield, CA	$122,465	$123,200	100.6
3	Oklahoma City, OK	$119,168	$103,080	86.5
4	Memphis, TN	$119,000	$99,960	84
5	Little Rock, AR	$118,685	$104,680	88.2
6	Austin, TX	$118,495	$122,050	103
7	Wichita, KS	$117,857	$99,000	84
8	San Antonio, TX	$117,650	$107,650	91.5
9	Greenville, SC	$113,585	$102,340	90.1
10	Indianapolis, IN	$111,077	$100,080	90.1
11	Louisville, KY	$110,909	$100,040	90.2
12	Fresno, CA	$110,607	$116,690	105.5
13	Cincinnati, OH	$110,603	$100,870	91.2
14	Houston, TX	$107,337	$103,580	96.5
15	Atlanta, GA	$107,016	$106,160	99.2
16	New Orleans, LA	$106,903	$102,520	95.9
17	St. Louis, MO	$106,411	$95,770	90
18	Columbus, OH	$106,251	$98,920	93.1
19	Greensboro, NC	$106,046	$96,820	91.3
20	Tucson, AZ	$105,786	$100,920	95.4
21	Albuquerque, NM	$105,500	$99,170	94
22	Birmingham, AL	$105,365	$95,250	90.4
23	Lexington, KY	$104,951	$95,820	91.3
24	Kansas City, MO	$104,654	$99,840	95.4
25	Knoxville, TN	$104,640	$94,490	90.3
26	Jacksonville, FL	$104,458	$99,340	95.1
27	Phoenix, AZ	$104,330	$105,060	100.7
28	Richmond, VA	$103,379	$105,550	102.1
29	Reno, NV	$102,432	$109,090	106.5
30	Omaha, NE	$102,015	$93,650	91.8
31	Dallas, TX	$101,931	$106,110	104.1
32	Spokane, WA	$101,930	$99,280	97.4
33	Charlotte, NC	$101,810	$98,450	96.7
34	Las Vegas, NV	$101,394	$110,520	109
35	Colorado Springs, CO	$101,225	$105,780	104.5
36	Nashville, TN	$100,329	$100,630	100.3
37	Salt Lake City, UT	$98,600	$99,980	101.4
38	Sacramento, CA	$98,460	$122,780	124.7
39	Pittsburgh, PA	$98,440	$90,860	92.3
40	Tampa, FL	$98,112	$97,720	99.6
41	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$97,655	$119,530	122.4
42	Milwaukee, WI	$96,530	$94,020	97.4
43	Orlando, FL	$96,528	$99,520	103.1
44	Boise, ID	$96,004	$98,020	102.1
45	Denver, CO	$95,301	$107,500	112.8
46	Detroit, MI	$94,217	$89,600	95.1
47	Chicago, IL	$93,066	$99,860	107.3
48	Baltimore, MD	$92,373	$105,490	114.2
49	Madison, WI	$92,168	$95,670	103.8
50	Hartford, CT	$89,316	$100,570	112.6
51	Buffalo, NY	$88,173	$81,560	92.5
52	Minneapolis, MN	$88,136	$93,600	106.2
53	Rochester, NY	$87,998	$81,750	92.9
54	Philadelphia, PA	$87,111	$103,140	118.4
55	Portland, OR	$86,164	$112,100	130.1
56	Albany, NY	$85,392	$85,990	100.7
57	Des Moines, IA	$84,427	$78,770	93.3
58	Raleigh, NC	$84,248	$84,080	99.8
59	Miami, FL	$82,437	$101,480	123.1
60	Providence, RI	$82,077	$98,000	119.4
61	Anchorage, AK	$81,638	$103,680	127
62	Bridgeport, CT	$76,538	$105,240	137.5
63	San Francisco, CA	$76,153	$136,770	179.6
64	San Diego, CA	$75,955	$121,680	160.2
65	Seattle, WA	$73,534	$109,860	149.4
66	Los Angeles, CA	$73,518	$122,040	166
67	San Jose, CA	$69,903	$136,870	195.8
68	Washington, DC	$67,382	$102,960	152.8
69	Boston, MA	$67,022	$101,940	152.1
70	New York, NY	$54,199	$101,460	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Occupational Therapist salary at $136,870. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Tulsa, OK offers the most purchasing power at $124,827 adjusted.

The national median Occupational Therapist salary is $102,783 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $78,770 to $136,870 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.