An occupational therapist salary calculator converts OT pay between hourly, weekly, biweekly, monthly and annual amounts, then compares it with official wage data. Occupational therapists in the United States had a median wage of $48.24 an hour, or $100,330 a year, in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Annual gross pay
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How to Use the Occupational Therapist Salary Calculator
- Choose hourly rate or annual salary, the way your employer quotes base pay.
- Enter your base pay, your hours per week and your weeks per year. Add other annual pay or a second offer if you have them.
- Read your annual gross pay, the pay-period amounts and where your hourly pay sits in the BLS wage table.
What each result tells you:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Annual gross pay | Base pay for the year plus any other annual pay you entered, before tax. |
| Monthly, biweekly, weekly | Annual gross pay divided by 12, 26 and 52. |
| Hourly | Base pay per paid hour. This is the number compared with BLS. |
| BLS percentile band | The two published BLS percentiles your hourly pay falls between. |
| Approximate percentile | A straight-line estimate between those two percentiles. BLS does not publish it. |
| Gap to BLS median | Your hourly pay minus the BLS median hourly wage, in dollars and percent. |
| Full-time equivalent | Your hourly pay times 2,080 hours, the work year BLS uses for annual wages. |
| Second offer rows | The second offer as annual and hourly pay, its percentile and the yearly difference. |
The first preset is an example, not a typical wage. It shows an occupational therapist paid $47.00 an hour for 40 hours a week. That is $97,760.00 a year, about the 46th percentile.
What Is an Occupational Therapist Salary?
An occupational therapist salary is the gross pay a licensed OT earns in a year, before tax and deductions. The annual figure depends heavily on the setting, because school and part-time schedules have fewer paid hours than hospital schedules.
BLS describes the job in one line: occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses or disabilities, to help them with vocational, daily living and other skills that promote independence.
| Fact | Value (BLS) |
|---|---|
| Typical entry education | Master degree in occupational therapy. All states require a licence. |
| Jobs in 2025 | 169,600 |
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 15%, much faster than the 3% average for all occupations |
| Openings each year | About 10,000 |
| Schedule | Most work full time, but part-time work is common. Some work nights or weekends for clients. |
These facts come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read on 2026-10-02. BLS links the growth to an older population and to continued therapy for conditions such as stroke, cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder.
This page covers occupational therapists only. Occupational therapy assistants are a separate BLS occupation, which this tool does not cover.
How Does the Occupational Therapist Salary Calculator Work?
The calculator converts your pay between time periods, then places your hourly pay in the BLS wage distribution for occupational therapists.
Annual pay = hourly rate x hours per week x weeks per yearApproximate percentile = P1 + (your hourly - W1) / (W2 - W1) x (P2 - P1)- Convert. An hourly rate is multiplied by hours and weeks. A salary is divided by them to get pay per hour.
- Add other pay. Overtime, differentials and bonuses you typed are added to the annual total only.
- Find the band. Your base hourly pay is checked against the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages.
- Interpolate. W1 and W2 are the two BLS wages around your pay. P1 and P2 are their percentiles.
- Measure the gap. Your hourly pay minus the median, then divided by the median.
The table below is the full BLS wage table for occupational therapists that the tool uses.
| Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) | Hourly wage | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34.47 | $71,690 |
| 25th percentile | $39.67 | $82,510 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $48.24 | $100,330 |
| 75th percentile | $56.09 | $116,670 |
| 90th percentile | $63.44 | $131,950 |
| Mean (average) | $48.69 | $101,280 |
| Employment | 162,450 jobs | |
Source: BLS OEWS, national estimates, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
BLS annual wages equal the hourly wage times 2,080 hours. That is 40 hours for 52 weeks. The comparison uses hourly pay so that part-time and long-shift schedules are judged fairly.
Occupational Therapist Salary Example: a School-Year Contract
A school-based occupational therapist earns a $78,000 salary. Her contract covers 37.5 hours a week for 42 weeks. A neighboring district offers $84,000 on the same calendar.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Paid hours in the year | 37.5 x 42 | 1,575 hours |
| Hourly pay | 78,000 / 1,575 | $49.52 |
| Monthly, spread over 12 months | 78,000 / 12 | $6,500.00 |
| BLS band | 49.52 is between 48.24 and 56.09 | 50th to 75th percentile |
| Approximate percentile | 50 + (49.52 - 48.24) / (56.09 - 48.24) x 25 | About the 54th |
| Gap to median | 49.52 - 48.24 | +$1.28 an hour (+2.7%) |
| Full-time equivalent | 49.52 x 2,080 | $103,009.52 |
| Second offer | 84,000 / 1,575 | $53.33 an hour, +$6,000.00 a year |
Her $78,000 salary is below the BLS 25th percentile of $82,510. Per hour she is above the median. BLS annual wages assume 2,080 hours, and her contract has 1,575. Her rate over a full year would pay $103,009.52.
Factors That Change Occupational Therapist Pay
Setting
Setting shapes both the rate and the paid hours. BLS lists the largest employers of occupational therapists as follows.
| Employer | Share of OT jobs, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists | 28% |
| Hospitals; state, local and private | 26% |
| Educational services; state, local and private | 13% |
| Home healthcare services | 8% |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | 7% |
Weeks per Year
A school calendar has fewer paid weeks than a hospital calendar. At $46.00 an hour, 35 hours for 40 weeks pays $64,400.00 a year. The same rate over 2,080 hours pays $95,680.00.
State
California has the highest annual mean wage for occupational therapists at $121,920.
| State | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| California | $121,920 |
| Nevada | $112,290 |
| Oregon | $112,000 |
| Colorado | $111,620 |
| District of Columbia | $110,850 |
The five states with the highest annual mean wage for occupational therapists. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Per-Visit Pay
Home health therapists are often paid per visit. Convert it yourself first: divide a week of visit pay by the hours you worked, including travel and notes. Enter that as the hourly rate. The salary to hourly calculator helps with the reverse conversion.
Premium Pay
BLS wages exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Add them in the other annual pay field. The overtime pay calculator works out overtime from your hours.
Occupational Therapist Pay Compared by Industry
Home health care services pay occupational therapists the highest mean wage, $112,820 a year. That is $11,540 above the national mean of $101,280.
| Industry | Annual mean wage | Versus national mean |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health Care Services | $112,820 | +$11,540 |
| Federal Executive Branch | $111,390 | +$10,110 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $109,420 | +$8,140 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $108,250 | +$6,970 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $107,940 | +$6,660 |
The five industries with the highest annual mean wage for occupational therapists. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Three of the five are home or residential care settings: home health, skilled nursing facilities and continuing care communities. Hospitals and schools employ more occupational therapists but are not in the top five for mean pay.
The spread across the top five is narrow, only $4,880. The national mean of $101,280 and the median of $100,330 are also close, so few very high wages distort the average.
When to Use the Occupational Therapist Salary Calculator
Comparing a School Job with a Clinic Job
Enter each job with its own hours and weeks. Compare the hourly rows, not the annual rows, because the calendars differ.
Checking a New Graduate Offer
Enter the offer and read the band. An offer of $39.67 an hour is the national 25th percentile. One of $34.47 is the 10th.
Pricing a Part-Time Schedule
Part-time work is common in this occupation. Set your paid hours and the annual figure follows your schedule.
Budgeting After Tax
The result is gross pay. Read the gross vs net income guide and the tax brackets guide before you plan a budget from it.
Common Mistakes with Occupational Therapist Pay Comparisons
1. Comparing a School Salary with the BLS Annual Wage
A 42-week salary and a 2,080-hour wage measure different amounts of work. Compare hourly rates, or use the full-time equivalent row.
2. Treating a Per-Visit Rate as an Hourly Rate
A visit fee covers driving and documentation time too. Divide by all the hours worked before you enter it.
3. Using the Assistant Wage Table
Occupational therapy assistants are a different BLS occupation. This tool compares therapist pay only.
4. Reading the National Median as a Local Rate
The mean in California is $121,920 against $101,280 nationally. This page has national data only.
5. Expecting a Degree or Certification Premium
BLS does not publish occupational therapist wages by degree or certification. This tool applies no such adjustment.
Accuracy and Limitations
The conversion is exact arithmetic. The percentile is an estimate, because BLS publishes only five points of the wage distribution.
What it calculates accurately
- Annual, monthly, biweekly, weekly and hourly gross pay from your own figures.
- The BLS percentile band your hourly pay falls in.
- The dollar and percent gap to the BLS national median.
- The yearly difference between two offers on the same schedule.
What it does not account for
- Federal, state and local tax, or any payroll deduction.
- Your state, metro area, employer, experience or specialty.
- Benefits such as health insurance, retirement match and paid leave.
- Wages after May 2025. BLS updates the survey once a year.
- Unpaid travel and documentation time behind a per-visit rate, unless you include it in your hours.
BLS wages are straight-time gross pay. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Keep those in the other annual pay field so the comparison stays like for like.
How We Calculate Occupational Therapist Pay and Percentiles
Frequently Asked Questions About Occupational Therapist Salaries
How much do occupational therapists make an hour?
Occupational therapists had a median hourly wage of $48.24 in May 2025, according to BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34.47 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $63.44.
What is the median occupational therapist salary?
The median annual wage for occupational therapists was $100,330 in May 2025. The mean was $101,280. The middle half earned between $82,510 and $116,670.
What do the highest paid occupational therapists earn?
Occupational therapists at the 90th percentile earned $131,950 a year in May 2025, or $63.44 an hour.
Which setting pays occupational therapists the most?
Home health care services pay the highest annual mean wage, $112,820. The federal executive branch follows at $111,390, then outpatient care centers at $109,420.
Which state pays occupational therapists the most?
California pays the highest annual mean wage, $121,920. Nevada, Oregon, Colorado and the District of Columbia are the next four.
How do I compare a school-based OT salary with a clinic salary?
Convert both to pay per paid hour. Divide each salary by its own hours per week times weeks per year. A school salary covers fewer weeks, so its annual figure understates the hourly rate.
Is occupational therapy a growing field?
Yes. BLS projects 15 percent employment growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3 percent for all occupations. It expects about 10,000 openings a year.
What degree does an occupational therapist need?
An occupational therapist typically needs a master degree in occupational therapy. All states also require a licence.
Does the BLS wage include self-employed occupational therapists?
No. The BLS wage survey covers employees who are paid a wage or salary. It does not cover self-employed workers, so contract therapists who bill for themselves are outside the data.
Is my pay information saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. The Save button stores a result only on your own device.
Sources
- BLS OEWS Profiles, May 2025 national estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Select 29-1122 Occupational Therapists. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Occupational Therapists (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Duties, education, employers and 2025 to 2035 outlook. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS technical notes for the May 2025 OEWS estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Defines the wage: straight-time gross pay, 2,080-hour year. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS May 2025 occupation profiles index (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lists every occupation code in the May 2025 release. Read 2026-10-02.)
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Explore all career calculatorsThis occupational therapist salary calculator gives an estimate for planning. It uses BLS survey data, not a pay offer, and it is not financial, tax or career advice. BLS figures are national estimates for May 2025, read on 2026-10-02. All amounts are gross pay before tax. Confirm pay with the employer before you decide. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Author
Shakeel Muzaffar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MultiCalculators.com, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital publishing, product strategy, and online tool development. He leads the platform's editorial vision, ensuring every calculator meets strict standards for accuracy, usability, and real-world value. Shakeel personally oversees content quality, formula verification workflows, and the platform's commitment to publishing tools that are genuinely useful for students, professionals, and everyday users worldwide.
