2027 Salary Guide · Healthcare
BLS expects occupational therapy jobs to grow 15 percent between 2025 and 2035, and OTs already earn a median of $100,330 (May 2025), about $106,500 in 2027 terms. One OT in eight works in a school system, where the median is $87,300, so the setting does a lot to decide where in the range an OT lands.
Outlook
BLS projects much faster than average growth, with about 10,000 openings a year from a base of about 169,600 OTs. That is faster growth than for physical therapists, on a smaller base.
BLS Employment Projections via O*NET OnLine. Projections cover Occupational Therapists as a whole.
By setting
The spread between the best- and worst-paying OT settings is about $19,000 at the median. Schools pay the least and employ 13% of OTs.
| Work setting | Share of OT jobs | Median pay, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Home healthcare services | 8% | $106,300 |
| Skilled nursing facilities | 7% | $105,850 |
| Hospitals (state, local and private) | 26% | $102,820 |
| Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists | 28% | $97,940 |
| Schools (state, local and private) | 13% | $87,300 |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Occupational Therapists (May 2025 wages).
Pay distribution
The middle half of OTs earned between $82,510 and $116,670 in May 2025. The bottom tenth earned under $71,690 and the top tenth over $131,950.
Typical for the Occupational Therapist title: $82,510 to $116,670 (25th to 75th percentile of Occupational Therapists)
| Percentile | BLS, May 2025 | 2027 planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $71,690 | $76,000 |
| 25th percentile | $82,510 | $87,500 |
| Median | $100,330 | $106,500 |
| 75th percentile | $116,670 | $124,000 |
| 90th percentile | $131,950 | $140,500 |
Local pay
The San Francisco Bay Area leads at $136,770, and Austin, Los Angeles and San Diego all sit near $122,000. Buffalo ($81,560), Raleigh ($84,080) and Albany ($85,990) are lowest. Buffalo pairs the lowest median with one of the highest concentrations of OT jobs on the list. New York City is the largest market with about 11,640 OTs.
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $136,770 +36% | $96,250 – $171,460 | 1,560 |
| Austin | $122,050 +22% | $80,040 – $131,000 | 1,600 |
| Los Angeles | $122,040 +22% | $82,840 – $154,730 | 4,950 |
| San Diego | $121,680 +21% | $92,790 – $152,150 | 1,620 |
| Portland | $112,100 +12% | $85,490 – $131,710 | 730 |
| Seattle | $109,860 +9% | $83,650 – $138,050 | 2,020 |
| Denver | $107,500 +7% | $79,170 – $157,820 | 1,870 |
| Atlanta | $106,160 +6% | $76,600 – $131,010 | 2,120 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $106,110 +6% | $76,960 – $145,780 | 3,450 |
| Baltimore | $105,490 +5% | $74,050 – $128,960 | 1,200 |
| Metro area | Median | 10th – 90th | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $105,060 +5% | $78,160 – $133,680 | 2,070 |
| Houston | $103,580 +3% | $78,790 – $140,720 | 2,700 |
| Philadelphia | $103,140 +3% | $77,130 – $131,670 | 3,410 |
| Washington, DC | $102,960 +3% | $79,650 – $138,150 | 2,640 |
| Boston | $101,940 +2% | $74,670 – $129,060 | 4,790 |
| Miami | $101,480 +1% | $66,670 – $120,910 | 2,550 |
| New York City | $101,460 +1% | $72,380 – $144,090 | 11,640 |
| Nashville | $100,630 +0% | $70,590 – $121,840 | 710 |
| Hartford | $100,570 +0% | $75,560 – $121,060 | 1,140 |
| Chicago | $99,860 +-0% | $73,900 – $136,160 | 5,960 |
| Charlotte | $98,450 -2% | $63,710 – $121,090 | 1,140 |
| Providence | $98,000 -2% | $72,080 – $126,440 | 1,130 |
| Tampa | $97,720 -3% | $75,520 – $112,020 | 1,660 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | $93,600 -7% | $67,360 – $109,490 | 2,590 |
| Pittsburgh | $90,860 -9% | $61,140 – $116,630 | 1,170 |
| Detroit | $89,600 -11% | $66,580 – $107,140 | 2,030 |
| Albany | $85,990 -14% | $61,880 – $107,930 | 550 |
| Raleigh | $84,080 -16% | $61,770 – $121,210 | 680 |
| Buffalo | $81,560 -19% | $60,560 – $106,620 | 970 |
BLS metro estimates, May 2025. Percent compares the metro median with the national median. "Jobs" is BLS estimated employment in the metro; blank where BLS does not publish it.
For job seekers
A pediatric clinic, a school district and a skilled nursing facility can all post "Occupational Therapist." The setting table above shows how far the pay can differ.
School-based roles often run on the academic calendar. Ask whether the salary is for the school year or a full year before comparing it with a clinic offer.
Clinics and SNFs often set a target for billable time. Ask for it in writing.
All states license OTs, and requirements vary by state. Relocating or working across a state line can mean a second license.
OT vs. PT
The two jobs are often hired side by side. The national medians are close, but the mix of settings differs.
Schools employ 13% of OTs at a median of $87,300. Schools are not among the top employers of PTs, so this lower-paid segment pulls the OT median down more.
BLS says OTs typically need a master's degree, which usually takes 2 to 3 years. In O*NET's survey, 86% of respondents said new hires need a master's. PTs need a doctorate, a longer program.
OT medians in home health ($106,300) and skilled nursing ($105,850) are above the national PT median, so OTs in those settings out-earn the typical PT.
O*NET lists Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) and Assistive Technology Trainer among OT job titles, and Low Vision Therapists as a related specialty. These are small niches that some employers recruit for specifically.
Compare
OTs earn about $2,430 less than physical therapists at the median and slightly more than speech-language pathologists and registered nurses.
| Role | BLS median | 2027 estimate | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $106,500 | Much faster than average |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $109,000 | Much faster than average |
| Speech Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $104,000 | Much faster than average |
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $103,500 | Faster than average |
FAQ
Occupational therapists' median annual wage was $100,330 in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $82,510 and $116,670, and the top tenth more than $131,950. With two years of wage growth at 3.1% a year, that is a 2027 planning median of about $106,500.
BLS reports a May 2025 median of $87,300 for OTs working in schools, the lowest of the main OT settings and about $13,000 below the national OT median. School roles often follow the academic calendar, so compare them with clinic offers carefully.
The median OT wage was $48.24 an hour in May 2025, according to BLS data reported by O*NET. Hourly pay is most relevant for per-diem and PRN work in hospitals and skilled nursing.
Physical therapists, slightly. In May 2025 the PT median was $102,760 and the OT median $100,330, a gap of about $2,430. Part of the gap is the school segment: 13% of OTs work in schools at a median of $87,300, while OTs in home health earn $106,300.
BLS says OTs typically need a master's degree in occupational therapy, which usually takes 2 to 3 years, followed by a state license that requires passing a qualifying exam. In O*NET's survey, 86% of respondents said new hires need a master's degree.
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