How to Become an Occupational Therapist
Help patients develop, recover, and improve skills needed for daily living and working through therapeutic activities. It typically requires a master's degree (otd, occupational therapy doctorate, becoming standard), with a median salary of $100,330 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$100,330/yr
Middle half
$82,510 to $116,670
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
10,200
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Patient Assessment
- Treatment Planning
- Adaptive Equipment
- Rehabilitation
- Communication
Helpful certifications
- NBCOT (National Board for Certification in OT)
- State Licensure
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
12/100
Work-life balance
62/100
Stress level
40/100
Satisfaction
78/100
Related careers
- Psychiatrist$281,870 median
- Physician (Family Medicine)$244,180 median
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)$236,590 median
- Dentist$170,950 median
- Pharmacist$140,910 median
- Optometrist$136,570 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Occupational Therapist make?
The median pay for an Occupational Therapist is $100,330 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $82,510 and $116,670 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Occupational Therapist?
The usual entry point is a master's degree (otd, occupational therapy doctorate, becoming standard). Common majors are Occupational Therapy, Health Sciences, Kinesiology, Biology, and Psychology.
Is Occupational Therapist a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 10,200 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Occupational Therapist use most?
Common skills for this role are Patient Assessment, Treatment Planning, Adaptive Equipment, Rehabilitation, and Communication.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).