OK, so you think you may have found your passion in life – becoming an occupational therapist.

However, the million-dollar question is…

How much will I earn per year as an occupational therapist?

We will share more information on occupational therapist salaries with you, but there are some other things to consider first:

Is being an occupational therapist a growing or a dying career?

How are the employment prospects for an occupational therapist?

And where is the best place to live and get paid as an occupational therapist?

Keep reading and, hopefully, we can answer some of these questions for you.

What kind of salary can I expect?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for occupational therapists was $83,200 in May 2017. By the term “median wage,” we mean that half the workers in the occupation earned more than this. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $54,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $120,440.

What are the highest paying states for occupational therapists?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 highest paying states. Numbers are based on the mean.

  1. Nevada – $49.65 per hour / $1,03,280 per year
  2. Texas – $45.45 per hour / $94,530 per year
  3. New Jersey – $45.24 per hour / $94,100 per year
  4. District of Columbia – $44.77 per hour / $93,110 per year
  5. Connecticut – $43.63 per hour / $90,760 per year

What are the lowest paying states for occupational therapists?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 lowest paying states/territories. Numbers are based on the mean.

  1. Puerto Rico – $19.22 per hour / $39,980 per year
  2. South Dakota – $32.21 per hour / $66,990 per year
  3. North Dakota – $32.66 per hour / $67,930 per year
  4. Maine – $32.83 per hour / $68,300 per year
  5. Wisconsin – $33.97 per hour / $70,670 per year

What is the Career Ranking for this job?

Well, according to usnews.com, becoming an occupational therapist is exceptionally fulfilling. They analyze a boatload of data about salary, unemployment rate, and stress to select the top jobs for each year.

Occupational therapists are ranked:

  • #9 in Best Health Care Jobs
  • #11 in The 100 Best Jobs

What is the growth potential as an occupational therapist??

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical job growth in a sector is 7%. Occupational therapist job growth between 2016 and 2026 is expected to be 24%, adding 31,000 new jobs. That is much faster than the market average!

What are the unemployment figures like for occupational therapists?

When looking at a career to get into, it is a good idea to factor in data on how long you can stay employed. Occupational therapists have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the US. According to usnews.com, the unemployment rate for occupational therapists is only 0.3%.

The bottom line: Becoming an occupational therapist is not just a rewarding career; it is a growing and lucrative one, too.