Occupational therapist vs pediatric occupational therapist

The differences between occupational therapists and pediatric occupational therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an occupational therapist and a pediatric occupational therapist. Additionally, a pediatric occupational therapist has an average salary of $82,293, which is higher than the $75,707 average annual salary of an occupational therapist.

The top three skills for an occupational therapist include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for a pediatric occupational therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and patient care.

Occupational therapist vs pediatric occupational therapist overview

	Occupational Therapist	Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Yearly salary	$75,707	$82,293
Hourly rate	$36.40	$39.56
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	78,315	90,520
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	12	12

What does an occupational therapist do?

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.

What does a pediatric occupational therapist do?

A pediatric occupational therapist is a health care professional who works directly with children, helping them develop essential skills and lead an active life. Part of their job is to meet with patients to identify their needs through various assessments and examinations, conduct extensive research and analyses, and create treatment plans and strategies to develop the children's cognitive and social skills, motor functions, and other abilities to help them grow healthy. Moreover, a pediatric occupational therapist coordinates with parents or guardians, providing them with the necessary care advice.

Occupational therapist vs pediatric occupational therapist salary

Occupational therapists and pediatric occupational therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Occupational Therapist	Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Average salary	$75,707	$82,293
Salary range	Between $58,000 And $97,000	Between $64,000 And $105,000
Highest paying City	Salinas, CA	Visalia, CA
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	Waters	Providence Health & Services
Best paying industry	Professional	Internet

Differences between occupational therapist and pediatric occupational therapist education

There are a few differences between an occupational therapist and a pediatric occupational therapist in terms of educational background:

	Occupational Therapist	Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Occupational Therapy	Occupational Therapy
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Occupational therapist vs pediatric occupational therapist demographics

Here are the differences between occupational therapists' and pediatric occupational therapists' demographics:

	Occupational Therapist	Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2%	Male, 11.0% Female, 89.0%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.1% Asian, 10.1% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	14%	14%

Differences between occupational therapist and pediatric occupational therapist duties and responsibilities

Occupational therapist example responsibilities.

Achieve advance clinical competency in UE splinting.
Manage outpatient occupational therapy rehabilitation program.
Provide home assessment and recommend adaptive equipment and/or home modification needs to maximize safety of patients in their own environment.
General debility, CVA, joint replacement, upper extremity weakness, ADL 's
Founder of TLC program to educate patients, staff and family about CVA.
Complete evaluations and IEP's for home school children and perform on-going therapy for the kids.

Pediatric occupational therapist example responsibilities.

Participate in IEP planning and goal writing for students to help them achieve as much academic success as possible.
Train PRN staff on Medicare / Medicaid reimbursement documentation and facility policies.
Apply sensory integration approach with children to promote adaptive responses for improve interactions within environments.
Create and implement skil occupational therapy services with pediatric patients to promote safety and independence with their occupational performance.
Oversee COTA (s) and direct plan of care.
Supervise COTA's and students.

Occupational therapist vs pediatric occupational therapist skills

Common occupational therapist skills

Patients, 23%
Rehabilitation, 12%
Home Health, 12%
Patient Care, 9%
COTA, 7%
Occupational Therapy, 4%

Common pediatric occupational therapist skills

Patients, 21%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Patient Care, 8%
Autism, 8%
Home Health, 7%
COTA, 5%

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Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapist vs Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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