Occupational Therapist Hourly Pay & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 11,924 US job postings by 2,303 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for occupational therapists: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 11,924 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for occupational therapists in US job postings is $52.00 an hour (2,482 postings from 543 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $45.91 to $60.50 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $52.50 an hour (461 postings).
- The skills that most set occupational therapist postings apart are compassionate, individualized treatment plans, occupational therapy.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 1 year of experience.
Occupational Therapist job postings in the US, October 2026
- $52.00/hr
- Median advertised pay (2,482 postings)
- $45.91–$60.50
- Middle 50% of postings
- $52.50/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 11,924
- US job postings from 2,303 employers
How much does an occupational therapist make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $52.00 an hour, from 2,482 US job postings by 543 employers that state pay. That is about $104,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 2,482 US occupational therapist job postings: median $104,000 a year ($52.00 an hour), middle half $90,000 to $122,000.
- Median: $104,000 ($52.00/hr)
- 25th percentile: $90,000
- 75th percentile: $122,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $20K–$30K | 0.1% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.2% |
| $40K–$50K | 0.1% |
| $50K–$60K | 1.5% |
| $60K–$70K | 1.9% |
| $70K–$80K | 3.9% |
| $80K–$90K | 15.3% |
| $90K–$100K | 20.5% |
| $100K–$110K | 17.8% |
| $110K–$120K | 12.4% |
| $120K–$130K | 7.6% |
| $130K–$140K | 6.8% |
| $140K–$150K | 2.4% |
| $150K–$160K | 3.4% |
| $160K–$170K | 2.0% |
| $170K–$180K | 1.4% |
| $180K–$190K | 0.7% |
| $190K–$200K | 0.2% |
| $200K–$210K | 0.3% |
| $210K–$220K | 0.2% |
| $220K–$230K | 0.1% |
| $230K–$240K | 0.2% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $52.00 | $45.91–$60.50 | 1,260 | Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapist (OT), Pediatric Occupational Therapist |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $92,000 | $85K–$104K | 531 | Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapist (OT), Pediatric Occupational Therapist |
| All pay postings, annualised | $104,000 | $90K–$122K | 2,482 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Occupational Therapists (29-1122) at $100,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for an occupational therapist?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $52.50 an hour (461 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $52.50/hr | 461 |
| 2-4 years | withheld | 233 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 34 |
Highest-paying occupational therapist jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health Occupational Therapist | $55.00/hr | 258 | 75 |
| Occupational Therapist (general) | $49.73/hr | 1,962 | 438 |
Occupational therapist pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $60.00/hr | $53.25–$64.93 | 193 | 10.2% |
| New York | $50.00/hr | $43.13–$62.50 | 179 | 4.4% |
| Texas | $48.10/hr | $41.15–$57.81 | 116 | 10.5% |
| Colorado | $48.00/hr | $45.00–$54.68 | 113 | 3.0% |
| Illinois | $46.50/hr | $42.52–$51.38 | 118 | 4.1% |
| Florida | $45.57/hr | $43.95–$52.12 | 111 | 6.4% |
Skills employers ask for in occupational therapist job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 32% |
| Interpersonal skills | 15% |
| Organizational skills | 14% |
| Compassionate | 11% |
| Problem-solving | 8% |
| Work independently | 7% |
| Time management | 7% |
| Individualized treatment plans | 4% |
| Collaboration | 4% |
| Teamwork | 3% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set occupational therapists apart
- Compassionate3.8× as often as in all postings · 11%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a occupational therapist job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does an occupational therapist do?
Employers post these jobs as Occupational Therapist (OT), Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Home Health Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapist OT, PRN Occupational Therapist and other titles. The largest specializations are Home Health Occupational Therapist (11%), Pediatric Occupational Therapist (5%), School Occupational Therapist (2%).
The closest official occupation is Occupational Therapists (29-1122.00). Its most important tasks:
- 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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be an occupational therapist?
Among 1,639 postings that state a minimum, the median is 1 year. 4% say 0 years and 59% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 1,639 US occupational therapist job postings: median 1 year, and 59% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 4% |
| 1 yr | 54% |
| 2 yrs | 31% |
| 3-4 yrs | 6% |
| 5-7 yrs | 4% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 74%, Part-time 26% of the 1,486 postings that state working hours.
Other names for an occupational therapist: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapist | 1,342 (58.3%) |
| Occupational Therapist (OT) | 300 (13.0%) |
| Pediatric Occupational Therapist | 134 (5.8%) |
| Home Health Occupational Therapist | 72 (3.1%) |
| Occupational Therapist OT | 68 (2.9%) |
| PRN Occupational Therapist | 63 (2.7%) |
| Occupational Therapist PRN | 57 (2.5%) |
| Outpatient Occupational Therapist | 31 (1.4%) |
| Occupational Therapist (OTR) | 29 (1.3%) |
| Occupational Therapists | 29 (1.3%) |
| Occupational Therapist (PRN) | 26 (1.1%) |
| Full Time Occupational Therapist | 26 (1.1%) |
| Per Diem Occupational Therapist | 24 (1.0%) |
| Licensed Occupational Therapist | 24 (1.0%) |
| Part-time Occupational Therapist | 24 (1.0%) |
| OT | 23 (1.0%) |
| Occupational Therapist (OT) PRN | 22 (1.0%) |
| Occupational Therapist I | 21 (0.9%) |
| School-Based Occupational Therapist | 21 (0.9%) |
| PRN Occupational Therapist (OT) | 20 (0.9%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Occupational Therapist compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapist | $52.00/hr | 1 year | 11,924 | – |
| Physical Therapist | $104K | 1 year | 29,758 | 18 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $52.50/hr | 1 year | 13,892 | 17 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $34.52/hr | 1 year | 12,964 | 16 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $35.00/hr | 1 year | 6,754 | 17 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist | 18 | $104K |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | 17 | $52.50/hr |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | 16 | $34.52/hr |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 17 | $35.00/hr |
| Nurse Practitioner | 15 | $142K |
| Physician Assistant | 13 | $150K |
Applying for occupational therapist jobs?
- Occupational therapist resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find occupational therapist jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does an occupational therapist make an hour?
What is the starting salary for an occupational therapist?
What are the highest-paying occupational therapist jobs?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 19 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.