Occupational therapist demographics and statistics in the US
Occupational therapist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates occupational therapist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our occupational therapist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about occupational therapists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 134,369 occupational therapists currently employed in the United States.
- 83.2% of all occupational therapists are women, while 16.8% are men.
- The average occupational therapist age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of occupational therapists is White (75.3%), followed by Asian (9.6%), Hispanic or Latino (6.2%) and Black or African American (4.8%).
- Occupational therapists are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The professional industry is the highest-paying for occupational therapists.
- Salinas, CA pays an annual average wage of $108,453, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women occupational therapists earned 97% of what men earned.
- 14% of all occupational therapists are LGBT.
- California is the best state for occupational therapists to live.
- Occupational therapists are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Occupational therapist demographics by:
Occupational therapist gender statistics
83.2% of occupational therapists are women and 16.8% of occupational therapists are men.
- Female, 83.2%
- Male, 16.8%
Occupational therapist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 83.2% |
| Male | 16.8% |
Occupational therapist gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$72,235
Female income
$69,803
Occupational therapist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in occupational therapist positions over time. Currently, 83.2% of occupational therapists are female.
Occupational therapist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.73% | 85.27% |
| 2011 | 11.13% | 88.87% |
| 2012 | 16.61% | 83.39% |
| 2013 | 11.81% | 88.19% |
| 2014 | 14.50% | 85.50% |
| 2015 | 15.83% | 84.17% |
| 2016 | 13.87% | 86.13% |
| 2017 | 12.02% | 87.98% |
| 2018 | 21.34% | 78.66% |
| 2019 | 14.56% | 85.44% |
| 2020 | 13.38% | 86.62% |
| 2021 | 16.78% | 83.22% |
Occupational therapist related jobs gender ratio
We compared occupational therapists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Occupational Therapist | 17% | 83% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Occupational therapist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among occupational therapists is White, which makes up 75.3% of all occupational therapists. Comparatively, 9.6% of occupational therapists are Asian and 6.2% of occupational therapists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 75.3%
- Asian, 9.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 6.2%
- Black or African American, 4.8%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Occupational therapist race
| Occupational therapist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.3% |
| Asian | 9.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.2% |
| Black or African American | 4.8% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Occupational therapist race and ethnicity over time
See how occupational therapist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Occupational therapist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 79.18% | 4.98% | 7.58% | 6.37% |
| 2011 | 81.73% | 4.06% | 8.30% | 4.32% |
| 2012 | 79.16% | 5.49% | 8.22% | 5.86% |
| 2013 | 81.35% | 4.46% | 7.36% | 5.75% |
| 2014 | 79.82% | 4.59% | 8.25% | 5.74% |
| 2015 | 77.60% | 5.06% | 10.39% | 5.70% |
| 2016 | 80.32% | 4.07% | 8.25% | 5.72% |
| 2017 | 77.01% | 4.78% | 9.43% | 6.48% |
| 2018 | 78.25% | 5.02% | 8.93% | 6.06% |
| 2019 | 78.73% | 4.95% | 8.65% | 6.11% |
| 2020 | 77.10% | 4.11% | 8.55% | 6.24% |
| 2021 | 75.34% | 4.83% | 9.59% | 6.24% |
Occupational therapist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian occupational therapists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White occupational therapists have the lowest average salary at $70,105.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $70,782 |
| White | $70,105 |
| Black or African American | $71,534 |
| Asian | $75,762 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $73,130 |
Average occupational therapist age
See how the average age of occupational therapists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Occupational therapist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 38 | |
| White | 42 | 38 |
| Black or African American | 39 | |
| Asian | 38 | 37.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36.5 |
Occupational therapist age breakdown
The average age of occupational therapists is 40+ years years old, representing 46% of the occupational therapist population.
Occupational therapist age breakdown
| Occupational Therapist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 46% |
| 30-40 years | 37% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Occupational therapist educational attainment
The most common degree for occupational therapists is bachelor's degree, with 55% of occupational therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 37% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 37%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Occupational therapists by degree level
| Occupational therapist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Master's | 37% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Doctorate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Occupational therapist jobs you might like
Occupational therapist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, occupational therapists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $80,905 annually. With a Master's degree, occupational therapists earn a median annual income of $80,503 compared to $79,115 for occupational therapists with an Doctorate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $80,503 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $80,905 |
| Doctorate Degree | $79,115 |
Occupational therapist employment statistics
Most occupational therapists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where occupational therapists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where occupational therapists work.
Occupational therapist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Occupational therapist jobs by company type
Employees with the occupational therapist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most occupational therapists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Occupational therapist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 3% |
Occupational therapist jobs by industry
The most common industries for occupational therapists are health care, professional and education.
Occupational therapist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 67% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Education | 6% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Occupational therapist turnover and employment statistics
Occupational therapist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for occupational therapists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Occupational therapist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Occupational therapist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.76% |
| 2011 | 0.66% |
| 2012 | 0.88% |
| 2013 | 0.99% |
| 2014 | 1.93% |
| 2015 | 0.09% |
| 2016 | 1.02% |
| 2017 | 1.26% |
| 2018 | 0.48% |
| 2019 | 0.89% |
| 2020 | 2.70% |
| 2021 | 1.76% |
Average occupational therapist tenure
The average occupational therapist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 22,778 occupational therapists resumes in Zippia's database.
Occupational therapist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 25% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Occupational therapist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of occupational therapists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| General Pediatrician | 9.88% | 42,460 |
| Pediatric Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 52,560 |
| Reiki Practitioner | 13.00% | 26,714 |
| Public Health Physician | 13.05% | 93,090 |
| Occupational Therapist | 14.38% | - |
| Optometrist/Practice Owner | 17.57% | 59,755 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Similar occupational therapist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| General Pediatrician | 9.88% | 42,460 |
| Pediatric Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 52,560 |
| Reiki Practitioner | 13.00% | 26,714 |
| Public Health Physician | 13.05% | 93,090 |
| Optometrist/Practice Owner | 17.57% | 59,755 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Foreign languages spoken by occupational therapists
The most common foreign language among occupational therapists is Spanish at 56.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.6% and Russian is the third-most popular at 5.3%.
- Spanish, 56.0%
- French, 5.6%
- Russian, 5.3%
- Korean, 4.3%
- Chinese, 3.7%
- Other, 25.1%
Occupational therapist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.0% |
| French | 5.6% |
| Russian | 5.3% |
| Korean | 4.3% |
| Chinese | 3.7% |
| Other | 25.1% |
