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The differences between play therapists and occupational therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a play therapist, becoming an occupational therapist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a play therapist has an average salary of $92,351, which is higher than the $75,707 average annual salary of an occupational therapist.
The top three skills for a play therapist include social work, children birth and cognitive behavioral. The most important skills for an occupational therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.
| Play Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $92,351 | $75,707 |
| Hourly rate | $44.40 | $36.40 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 23,449 | 78,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Play therapists and occupational therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Play Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average salary | $92,351 | $75,707 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $137,000 | 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 a play therapist and an occupational therapist in terms of educational background:
| Play Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Occupational Therapy |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Duke University |
Here are the differences between play therapists' and occupational therapists' demographics:
| Play Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 11.9% Female, 88.1% | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 6% | 14% |