Healthcare practitioners
Occupational therapist
Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.
Median pay
$100,330
Growth to 2035
+15%
faster than average
Openings a year
10,000
Time to qualify*
3.2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Occupational therapist
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
- Required
- NBCOT certification exam · State OT license
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Occupational therapist: 41% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
- Complete and maintain necessary records.
- Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
- Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
- Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
- Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.
- Train caregivers in providing for the needs of a patient during and after therapy.
- Lay out materials such as puzzles, scissors and eating utensils for use in therapy, and clean and repair these tools after therapy sessions.
Also called: Assistive Technology Trainer · Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) · Early Intervention Occupational Therapist · Home Health Occupational Therapist · Industrial Rehabilitation Consultant · Occupational Therapist (OT) · Pediatric Occupational Therapist (Pediatric OT) · Pediatrics and Acute Care Occupational Therapist
Outlook and AI
Occupational therapists held 169,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 194,800 by 2035 (+15%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Occupational therapist vs. Physical therapist
- Occupational therapist vs. Occupational therapy assistant
- Occupational therapist vs. Occupational therapy aide
- Occupational therapist vs. Physical therapist assistant
- Occupational therapist vs. Physician (other specialties)
- Occupational therapist vs. Recreational therapist
- Occupational therapist vs. Psychiatric technician
- Occupational therapist vs. Registered nurse
- Occupational therapist vs. Rehabilitation counselor