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The differences between exercise physiologists and occupational therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an exercise physiologist, becoming an occupational therapist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an occupational therapist has an average salary of $75,707, which is higher than the $49,399 average annual salary of an exercise physiologist.
The top three skills for an exercise physiologist include patients, rehabilitation and cardiac rehabilitation. The most important skills for an occupational therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.
| Exercise Physiologist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $49,399 | $75,707 |
| Hourly rate | $23.75 | $36.40 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 38,633 | 78,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
An exercise physiologist is a health professional who analyzes the fitness of patients to help them improve their health or maintain good health. Exercise physiologists are required to help patients with heart diseases and other chronic conditions such as diabetes or pulmonary disease to regain their health. Certified exercise physiologists must administer exercise stress tests in health and unhealthy populations. They also assist both amateur and professional athletes in helping them boost their performance in sports.
An occupational therapist specializes in treating patients who are recovering from illnesses or disabilities to help them adapt and overcome the physical and mental difficulties they face in their daily lives. The responsibilities of an occupational therapist revolve around examining a patient's medical history and conducting different kinds of assessments to determine what type of treatment a patient should receive. Furthermore, an occupational therapist must build rapport with a patient to make them feel at ease and coordinate with their guardian or family to discuss the recommended ways to help the patient adjust and recuperate.
Exercise physiologists and occupational therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Exercise Physiologist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average salary | $49,399 | $75,707 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $82,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairfield, CA | Salinas, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Waters |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between an exercise physiologist and an occupational therapist in terms of educational background:
| Exercise Physiologist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Occupational Therapy |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Duke University |
Here are the differences between exercise physiologists' and occupational therapists' demographics:
| Exercise Physiologist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 9.6% White, 75.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 14% |