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The differences between occupational nurses 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 occupational nurse, 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 $71,288 average annual salary of an occupational nurse.
The top three skills for an occupational nurse include patients, CPR and occupational medicine. The most important skills for an occupational therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.
| Occupational Nurse | Occupational Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,288 | $75,707 |
| Hourly rate | $34.27 | $36.40 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 69,328 | 78,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Occupational nurses and occupational therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Occupational Nurse | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average salary | $71,288 | $75,707 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $109,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Salinas, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Waters |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between an occupational nurse and an occupational therapist in terms of educational background:
| Occupational Nurse | Occupational Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Occupational Therapy |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between occupational nurses' and occupational therapists' demographics:
| Occupational Nurse | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 9% | 14% |