Occupational Therapists Salary 2025: $102,783 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$102,783 per year is the national median annual wage for occupational therapists (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $49/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $97,450 to $169,990. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 29-1122.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $102,783
- Median hourly wage
- $49/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $104,248
- Total US employment
- 99,840
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($136,870)
- BLS SOC code
- 29-1122
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for occupational therapists (BLS SOC 29-1122) is $102,783 per year — about $49/hour — across 99,840 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $104,248 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $75,388 while the 90th earns $133,288 — a 1.8× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most occupational therapists land in the $86,717–$118,499 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $136,870, versus $78,770 in Des Moines, IA, IA — a 74% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Tulsa, OK delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($124,827 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
In Healthcare, occupational therapist wages reflect a regulated labor market: state licensing and credentialing constrain supply, so pay holds up more evenly across regions than in unregulated fields. The figures here are base wage and exclude shift differentials and overtime.
Occupational Therapists Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what occupational therapists earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $75,388 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $86,717 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $103,711 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $118,499 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $133,288 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Occupational Therapists salaries range from $78,770 to $136,870 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Occupational Therapists Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $97,450 | $113,218 | $136,870 | $153,430 | $169,990 | $69,903 | 840 |
| San Francisco, CA | $96,250 | $112,458 | $136,770 | $154,115 | $171,460 | $76,153 | 1,560 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $79,590 | $97,034 | $123,200 | $139,600 | $156,000 | $122,465 | 170 |
| Sacramento, CA | $94,910 | $106,058 | $122,780 | $138,860 | $154,940 | $98,460 | 810 |
| Austin, TX | $80,040 | $96,844 | $122,050 | $126,525 | $131,000 | $118,495 | 1,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $82,840 | $98,520 | $122,040 | $138,385 | $154,730 | $73,518 | 4,950 |
| San Diego, CA | $92,790 | $104,346 | $121,680 | $136,915 | $152,150 | $75,955 | 1,620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $86,490 | $99,706 | $119,530 | $135,010 | $150,490 | $97,655 | 1,110 |
| Fresno, CA | $93,720 | $102,908 | $116,690 | $133,720 | $150,750 | $110,607 | 320 |
| Portland, OR | $85,490 | $96,134 | $112,100 | $121,905 | $131,710 | $86,164 | 730 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $86,120 | $95,880 | $110,520 | $126,140 | $141,760 | $101,394 | 860 |
| Seattle, WA | $83,650 | $94,134 | $109,860 | $123,955 | $138,050 | $73,534 | 2,020 |
| Reno, NV | $88,040 | $96,460 | $109,090 | $117,170 | $125,250 | $102,432 | 170 |
| Tulsa, OK | $70,790 | $85,814 | $108,350 | $122,160 | $135,970 | $124,827 | 370 |
| San Antonio, TX | $75,690 | $88,474 | $107,650 | $119,635 | $131,620 | $117,650 | 1,780 |
| Denver, CO | $79,170 | $90,502 | $107,500 | $132,660 | $157,820 | $95,301 | 1,870 |
| Atlanta, GA | $76,600 | $88,424 | $106,160 | $118,585 | $131,010 | $107,016 | 2,120 |
| Dallas, TX | $76,960 | $88,620 | $106,110 | $125,945 | $145,780 | $101,931 | 3,450 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $81,370 | $91,134 | $105,780 | $135,045 | $164,310 | $101,225 | 520 |
| Richmond, VA | $76,930 | $88,378 | $105,550 | $114,005 | $122,460 | $103,379 | 740 |
| Baltimore, MD | $74,050 | $86,626 | $105,490 | $117,225 | $128,960 | $92,373 | 1,200 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $77,970 | $88,878 | $105,240 | $120,345 | $135,450 | $76,538 | 750 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $78,160 | $88,920 | $105,060 | $119,370 | $133,680 | $104,330 | 2,070 |
| Little Rock, AR | $65,160 | $80,968 | $104,680 | $121,150 | $137,620 | $118,685 | 760 |
| Anchorage, AK | $82,320 | $90,864 | $103,680 | $118,930 | $134,180 | $81,638 | 300 |
| Houston, TX | $78,790 | $88,706 | $103,580 | $122,150 | $140,720 | $107,337 | 2,700 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $77,130 | $87,534 | $103,140 | $117,405 | $131,670 | $87,111 | 3,410 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $66,560 | $81,168 | $103,080 | $118,285 | $133,490 | $119,168 | 530 |
| Washington, DC | $79,650 | $88,974 | $102,960 | $120,555 | $138,150 | $67,382 | 2,640 |
| New Orleans, LA | $64,890 | $79,942 | $102,520 | $113,695 | $124,870 | $106,903 | 390 |
| Greenville, SC | $75,710 | $86,362 | $102,340 | $109,425 | $116,510 | $113,585 | 400 |
| Boston, MA | $74,670 | $85,578 | $101,940 | $115,500 | $129,060 | $67,022 | 4,790 |
| Miami, FL | $66,670 | $80,594 | $101,480 | $111,195 | $120,910 | $82,437 | 2,550 |
| New York, NY | $72,380 | $84,012 | $101,460 | $122,775 | $144,090 | $54,199 | 11,640 |
| Tucson, AZ | $80,550 | $88,698 | $100,920 | $112,990 | $125,060 | $105,786 | 310 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $79,250 | $87,898 | $100,870 | $114,745 | $128,620 | $110,603 | 1,360 |
| Nashville, TN | $70,590 | $82,606 | $100,630 | $111,235 | $121,840 | $100,329 | 710 |
| Hartford, CT | $75,560 | $85,564 | $100,570 | $110,815 | $121,060 | $89,316 | 1,140 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $78,280 | $87,000 | $100,080 | $112,380 | $124,680 | $111,077 | 1,660 |
| Louisville, KY | $75,640 | $85,400 | $100,040 | $113,230 | $126,420 | $110,909 | 710 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $78,490 | $87,086 | $99,980 | $114,420 | $128,860 | $98,600 | 510 |
| Memphis, TN | $75,350 | $85,194 | $99,960 | $111,710 | $123,460 | $119,000 | 420 |
| Chicago, IL | $73,900 | $84,284 | $99,860 | $118,010 | $136,160 | $93,066 | 5,960 |
| Kansas City, MO | $70,890 | $82,470 | $99,840 | $111,400 | $122,960 | $104,654 | 1,360 |
| Orlando, FL | $64,410 | $78,454 | $99,520 | $111,290 | $123,060 | $96,528 | 1,160 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $74,730 | $84,574 | $99,340 | $107,180 | $115,020 | $104,458 | 890 |
| Spokane, WA | $81,480 | $88,600 | $99,280 | $112,040 | $124,800 | $101,930 | 320 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $74,150 | $84,158 | $99,170 | $116,110 | $133,050 | $105,500 | 550 |
| Wichita, KS | $74,070 | $84,042 | $99,000 | $109,845 | $120,690 | $117,857 | 320 |
| Columbus, OH | $65,060 | $78,604 | $98,920 | $109,315 | $119,710 | $106,251 | 1,370 |
| Charlotte, NC | $63,710 | $77,606 | $98,450 | $109,770 | $121,090 | $101,810 | 1,140 |
| Boise, ID | $74,320 | $83,800 | $98,020 | $129,385 | $160,750 | $96,004 | 420 |
| Providence, RI | $72,080 | $82,448 | $98,000 | $112,220 | $126,440 | $82,077 | 1,130 |
| Tampa, FL | $75,520 | $84,400 | $97,720 | $104,870 | $112,020 | $98,112 | 1,660 |
| Greensboro, NC | $59,150 | $74,218 | $96,820 | $106,915 | $117,010 | $106,046 | 270 |
| Lexington, KY | $67,360 | $78,744 | $95,820 | $106,440 | $117,060 | $104,951 | 320 |
| St. Louis, MO | $73,720 | $82,540 | $95,770 | $106,615 | $117,460 | $106,411 | 1,860 |
| Madison, WI | $74,480 | $82,956 | $95,670 | $105,640 | $115,610 | $92,168 | 610 |
| Birmingham, AL | $76,770 | $84,162 | $95,250 | $111,150 | $127,050 | $105,365 | 540 |
| Knoxville, TN | $58,870 | $73,118 | $94,490 | $105,410 | $116,330 | $104,640 | 290 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $75,820 | $83,100 | $94,020 | $102,590 | $111,160 | $96,530 | 1,220 |
| Omaha, NE | $71,100 | $80,120 | $93,650 | $100,715 | $107,780 | $102,015 | 820 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $67,360 | $77,856 | $93,600 | $101,545 | $109,490 | $88,136 | 2,590 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $61,140 | $73,028 | $90,860 | $103,745 | $116,630 | $98,440 | 1,170 |
| Detroit, MI | $66,580 | $75,788 | $89,600 | $98,370 | $107,140 | $94,217 | 2,030 |
| Albany, NY | $61,880 | $71,524 | $85,990 | $96,960 | $107,930 | $85,392 | 550 |
| Raleigh, NC | $61,770 | $70,694 | $84,080 | $102,645 | $121,210 | $84,248 | 680 |
| Rochester, NY | $57,940 | $67,464 | $81,750 | $95,780 | $109,810 | $87,998 | 740 |
| Buffalo, NY | $60,560 | $68,960 | $81,560 | $94,090 | $106,620 | $88,173 | 970 |
| Des Moines, IA | $64,610 | $70,274 | $78,770 | $93,770 | $108,770 | $84,427 | 340 |
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Occupational Therapist & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Occupational Therapist, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Occupational Therapist prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Occupational Therapist is $102,783 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $104,248. Salaries range from $78,770 to $136,870 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level occupational therapists (10th percentile) earn about $75,388 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $102,783, $118,499 at the 75th percentile, and $133,288 for the top 10% of earners.
The median occupational therapist earns about $49/hour, based on the $102,783 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Occupational Therapist at $136,870, well above the national median of $102,783. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 99,840 Occupational Therapist positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile occupational therapist earns $133,288 — about 1.8× the $75,388 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.