Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Staff occupational therapist salary
Average staff occupational therapist salary
$73,477
Understanding Staff Occupational Therapist Salaries
The average salary for a Staff Occupational Therapist is $73,477 annually or about $35 per hour. This salary varies based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and specific job responsibilities. For instance, states like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level occupational therapists can expect to earn less than their more experienced counterparts. With additional years in the field, salaries can rise significantly, reflecting the value of expertise in various therapeutic techniques.
Opportunities for Advancement
Occupational therapists can further increase their earnings by specializing in high-demand areas such as pediatrics or geriatrics. Additionally, pursuing advanced certifications can enhance career prospects and salary potential.
Highest Paying Cities
Some of the highest paying cities for staff occupational therapists include San Francisco, New York City, and Boston, where demand for skilled professionals remains strong.
Let Zippia find your next staff occupational therapist job
Let Zippia find your next staff occupational therapist job
Where can a Staff Occupational Therapist earn more?
Staff occupational therapist salaries by experience level
Average staff occupational therapist salary by state
The average staff occupational therapist salary in California, Hawaii, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average staff occupational therapist salary states are South Dakota, Kentucky, and North Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for staff occupational therapists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $115,629 | $55.59 |
| 2 | Nevada | $93,255 | $44.83 |
| 3 | Washington | $87,223 | $41.93 |
| 4 | Oregon | $90,599 | $43.56 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $83,360 | $40.08 |
| 6 | Louisiana | $81,799 | $39.33 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $77,046 | $37.04 |
| 8 | Alaska | $97,315 | $46.79 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $97,661 | $46.95 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $73,531 | $35.35 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $74,916 | $36.02 |
| 12 | Texas | $72,703 | $34.95 |
| 13 | Arizona | $80,681 | $38.79 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $72,432 | $34.82 |
| 15 | Indiana | $70,206 | $33.75 |
| 16 | Idaho | $75,941 | $36.51 |
| 17 | Ohio | $71,328 | $34.29 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $74,192 | $35.67 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $76,954 | $37.00 |
| 20 | Montana | $71,488 | $34.37 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $69,355 | $33.34 |
| 22 | Virginia | $76,632 | $36.84 |
| 23 | Colorado | $74,567 | $35.85 |
| 24 | Iowa | $70,480 | $33.88 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $69,055 | $33.20 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $70,315 | $33.81 |
| 27 | Maryland | $74,938 | $36.03 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $85,245 | $40.98 |
| 29 | Maine | $68,266 | $32.82 |
| 30 | Kansas | $68,121 | $32.75 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $69,301 | $33.32 |
| 32 | Utah | $71,311 | $34.28 |
| 33 | Illinois | $68,730 | $33.04 |
| 34 | New York | $69,955 | $33.63 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $69,701 | $33.51 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $69,988 | $33.65 |
| 37 | Missouri | $67,413 | $32.41 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $66,389 | $31.92 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $68,830 | $33.09 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $69,751 | $33.53 |
| 41 | Georgia | $67,586 | $32.49 |
| 42 | Connecticut | $72,135 | $34.68 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $64,124 | $30.83 |
| 44 | Vermont | $60,988 | $29.32 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $67,157 | $32.29 |
| 46 | Delaware | $67,205 | $32.31 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $64,188 | $30.86 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $64,772 | $31.14 |
| 49 | Florida | $67,419 | $32.41 |
| 50 | Michigan | $63,824 | $30.68 |
| 51 | Alabama | $61,276 | $29.46 |
Highest paying cities for staff occupational therapists
The highest-paying cities for staff occupational therapists are Pacifica, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacifica, CA | $118,209 | $56.83 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $93,429 | $44.92 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $85,285 | $41.00 |
| 4 | Stoughton, MA | $77,105 | $37.07 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $72,571 | $34.89 |
| 6 | Lafayette, IN | $70,222 | $33.76 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $70,073 | $33.69 |
| 8 | Fremont, NE | $69,094 | $33.22 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $68,790 | $33.07 |
| 10 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $66,971 | $32.20 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $63,852 | $30.70 |
Staff occupational therapist salary details
A staff occupational therapist's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a staff occupational therapist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| Average | $73,477 | $6,123 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying staff occupational therapist jobs
The highest paying types of staff occupational therapists are pediatric occupational therapist, registered occupational therapist, and early intervention occupational therapist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music Therapy Internship | $36,844 | $3,070 | $17.71 | 111,846 |
| Therapist | $55,943 | $4,662 | $26.90 | 159,770 |
| Physical Therapist | $73,070 | $6,089 | $35.13 | 86,697 |
| Student Physical Therapist | $73,003 | $6,084 | $35.10 | 92,101 |
| Pediatric Occupational Therapist | $82,293 | $6,858 | $39.56 | 90,520 |
| Occupational Therapist | $75,707 | $6,309 | $36.40 | 78,315 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for staff occupational therapists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Todd Roach D.C.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Aurora University
Top companies hiring staff occupational therapists now:
Which companies pay staff occupational therapists the most?
Staff occupational therapist salaries at New York University and Southeastern Lifestyle Fitness Center Lumberton are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average staff occupational therapist salary at companies like Memorial Hospital and Henry Ford Health System are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | $82,324 | $39.58 |
| 2 | Southeastern Lifestyle Fitness Center Lumberton | $80,679 | $38.79 |
| 3 | Memorial Hospital | $79,994 | $38.46 |
| 4 | Henry Ford Health System | $78,700 | $37.84 |
| 5 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $78,019 | $37.51 |
| 6 | Broward Health | $77,738 | $37.37 |
| 7 | Pacifica School District | $77,391 | $37.21 |
| 8 | Nebraska Methodist Health System | $77,350 | $37.19 |
| 9 | Boston Medical Center | $76,982 | $37.01 |
| 10 | University Medical Center of Southern Nevada | $76,956 | $37.00 |
| 11 | New England Sinai Hospital | $76,487 | $36.77 |
| 12 | Health Alliance | $76,081 | $36.58 |
| 13 | Univ. Medical Center | $76,012 | $36.54 |
| 14 | Partners Healthcare Solutions Inc | $76,012 | $36.54 |
| 15 | Memorial Health Systems Corporation | $76,012 | $36.54 |
| 16 | Mount Sinai Health System | $75,549 | $36.32 |
| 17 | Washington Hospital Healthcare System | $74,688 | $35.91 |
| 18 | Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan | $73,920 | $35.54 |
| 19 | North Shore High School | $73,498 | $35.34 |
| 20 | Columbia Memorial | $73,326 | $35.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Staff occupational therapist salary trends
The average staff occupational therapist salary has risen by $10,611 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average staff occupational therapist earned $62,866 annually, but today, they earn $73,477 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for staff occupational therapists over the last decade.
Compare staff occupational therapist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average staff occupational therapist salary over time
Compare staff occupational therapist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Staff occupational therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $73,500 | $35.33 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $72,300 | $34.78 | +0.8% |
| 2023 | $71,800 | $34.50 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $70,900 | $34.06 | +1.6% |
| 2021 | $69,800 | $33.54 | +2.1% |
Recently added staff occupational therapist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwell Health | Travel-Occupational Thrpst-Carmel, NY-Flexstaff | Carmel, NY | 06/14/2025 | $140,142 |
| Flexstaff | Occupational Thrpst-Contract-Brooklyn-Flexstaff | New York, NY | 06/03/2025 | $108,524 |
| Shirley Ryan Abilitylab | Occupational Therapist-Flex Staff, Weekends Only | Chicago, IL | 03/30/2025 | $34,000 |
| Shirley Ryan Abilitylab | Occupational Therapist-Flex Staff, -Weekends | Chicago, IL | 02/28/2025 | $34,000 |
| Wmchealth | Staff Occupational Therapist | Poughkeepsie, NY | 02/19/2025 | $84,085 |
| Flexstaff | Occupational Thrpst-Contract-Flexstaff | New York, NY | 02/02/2025 | $108,524 |
| Shirley Ryan Abilitylab | Occupational Therapist-Flex Staff, -Weekends | Chicago, IL | 01/28/2025 | $34,000 |
| Washington Hospital Healthcare System | Staff Occupational Therapist-Occupational Therapy--Variable Shifts | Fremont, CA | 01/26/2025 | $114,910 |
| NYU Langone Medical Center | Staff Occupational Therapist, Inpatient | New York, NY | 01/24/2025 | $80,730 |
| NR Healthcare | Staff Occupational Therapist | Fairfield, CA | 12/12/2024 | $146,090 |
Staff occupational therapist salary FAQs
Search for staff occupational therapist jobs