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Career overview · SOC 29-1122

Occupational Therapists

Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.

Also called: Assistive Technology Trainer · Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) · Early Intervention Occupational Therapist · Home Health Occupational Therapist · Industrial Rehabilitation Consultant · Occupational Therapist (OT)

Median pay (national)
$98,340
$67,090–$129,830 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
152,280
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+13.8%
~10,200 openings/yr
Typical entry
Master's degree

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for occupational therapists shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $129,830 versus $67,090 at the bottom 10% — 1.9x. The median of $98,340 leaves roughly 32% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +13.8% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 10,200 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 52 states with released data, California pays the most for this role (median $119,470, +21% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $47,590 — a 151% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Science
  • Mathematics

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
  • Complete and maintain necessary records.
  • Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
  • Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
  • Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
  • Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.
  • Train caregivers in providing for the needs of a patient during and after therapy.
  • Lay out materials such as puzzles, scissors and eating utensils for use in therapy, and clean and repair these tools after therapy sessions.
  • Consult with rehabilitation team to select activity programs or coordinate occupational therapy with other therapeutic activities.
  • Design and create, or requisition, special supplies and equipment, such as splints, braces, and computer-aided adaptive equipment.

Tools & technology

  • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • Facebook
  • Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
  • Casamba Smart
  • Computer drawing software
  • Crick Software Clicker 4
  • Duxbury Braille Translator
  • Fifth Walk BillingTracker
  • FileMaker Pro
  • HMS
  • Language arts educational software
  • Lexrotech LxPediatric
  • Math educational software
  • Mayer-Johnson Boardmaker
  • Music software
  • OpenOffice WRITER

Knowledge areas

  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Psychology
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • English Language
  • Education and Training
  • Biology
  • Sociology and Anthropology