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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
The highest-paying city might surprise you. The lowest-paying one probably won't. The national median salary for Occupational Therapists in 2026 is $107,913, with entry-level positions averaging $62,589 and senior roles reaching $161,869. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $197,160, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Positioned in Healthcare within the broader Healthcare industry, Occupational Therapists typically hold Master's in OT. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is clinical. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$119,970 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Occupational Therapist in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $197,160 — $119,970 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($77,190). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Occupational Therapists average $62,589, the median sits at $107,913, and senior earners pull in $161,869. That $99,280 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $27,546 above the national median household income of $80,367 — meaning even a mid-career professional in this field outearns the typical American household.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) averages $184,140, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) averages $77,810. The $106,330 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Occupational Therapist in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $197,160 — $119,970 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($77,190). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Occupational Therapist is $62,589, while senior-level (P90) earners average $161,869. That $99,280 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Occupational Therapists at $130,642 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $114,855) is $15,787.
At the 90th percentile, Occupational Therapists pull in an average of $161,869. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $62,589 | $107,913 | $161,869 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £41,907 | £58,204 | £82,650 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$65,944 | CA$91,589 | CA$130,057 |
| Australia | 13 | A$76,744 | A$106,590 | A$151,357 |
| Sweden | 24 | 442,919 kr | 615,165 kr | 873,534 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $75,772 | $130,642 | $195,963 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $73,224 | $126,248 | $189,371 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $72,819 | $125,550 | $188,325 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $67,425 | $116,250 | $174,375 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $66,616 | $114,855 | $172,283 |
| Washington | 8 | $65,335 | $112,646 | $168,969 |
| New York | 5 | $61,491 | $106,020 | $159,030 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $61,492 | $106,020 | $159,030 |
| Florida | 22 | $61,026 | $105,217 | $157,825 |
| Colorado | 11 | $59,972 | $103,399 | $155,099 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $59,873 | $103,230 | $154,845 |
| Nevada | 5 | $59,765 | $103,044 | $154,566 |
| Arizona | 12 | $59,469 | $102,533 | $153,799 |
| Oregon | 5 | $59,334 | $102,300 | $153,450 |
| Idaho | 3 | $59,154 | $101,990 | $152,985 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $58,687 | $101,184 | $151,776 |
| Utah | 4 | $58,525 | $100,905 | $151,358 |
| Virginia | 7 | $57,562 | $99,244 | $148,866 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $56,817 | $97,960 | $146,940 |
| Alaska | 1 | $56,637 | $97,650 | $146,475 |
| Illinois | 5 | $55,990 | $96,534 | $144,801 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $54,599 | $94,137 | $141,205 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $53,940 | $93,000 | $139,500 |
| Montana | 1 | $53,940 | $93,000 | $139,500 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $53,760 | $92,690 | $139,035 |
| Texas | 40 | $53,495 | $92,233 | $138,349 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $53,401 | $92,070 | $138,105 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $53,131 | $91,605 | $137,408 |
| Georgia | 6 | $52,951 | $91,295 | $136,943 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $52,861 | $91,140 | $136,710 |
| Kansas | 4 | $52,592 | $90,675 | $136,013 |
| Michigan | 6 | $52,412 | $90,365 | $135,548 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $51,783 | $89,280 | $133,920 |
| Maryland | 1 | $51,782 | $89,280 | $133,920 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $51,243 | $88,350 | $132,525 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $51,243 | $88,350 | $132,525 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $49,895 | $86,025 | $129,038 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $49,625 | $85,560 | $128,340 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $48,951 | $84,398 | $126,596 |
| Missouri | 4 | $48,951 | $84,398 | $126,596 |
| Alabama | 5 | $48,762 | $84,072 | $126,108 |
| Indiana | 3 | $48,007 | $82,770 | $124,155 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $48,007 | $82,770 | $124,155 |
| Iowa | 2 | $47,467 | $81,840 | $122,760 |
| Ohio | 6 | $47,378 | $81,685 | $122,528 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $45,310 | $78,120 | $117,180 |
Geography shapes Occupational Therapist pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. California tops the state leaderboard at $130,642 median, with 61 cities providing data. Massachusetts and Hawaii follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Ohio anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($197,160 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $93,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $197,160 | 212 | $93,000 | $115,077 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $184,140 | 198 | $93,000 | $108,327 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $171,120 | 184 | $93,000 | $101,159 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $168,330 | 181 | $93,000 | $99,623 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $165,540 | 178 | $93,000 | $98,087 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $164,610 | 177 | $93,000 | $97,575 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $164,610 | 177 | $93,000 | $97,575 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $160,890 | 173 | $93,000 | $95,527 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $160,890 | 173 | $93,000 | $95,527 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $157,170 | 169 | $93,000 | $93,480 |
Career economics for Occupational Therapists: entry level averages $62,589, mid-career hits $107,913, and experienced professionals reach $161,869. That's a 2.6× multiplier from start to peak. The path typically requires Master's in OT, and the work is clinical. The outlook: growing. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
The weighted national median salary for Occupational Therapists is $107,913 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $62,589, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $161,869.
The highest-paying city for Occupational Therapists is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $197,160. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($197,160), Santa Clara ($184,140), Irvine ($171,120). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Occupational Therapist salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $77,190. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Occupational Therapists (10th percentile) average $62,589 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $114,353. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Occupational Therapists average $161,869 nationally — $99,280 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Occupational Therapists can earn up to $295,740.
The top-paying states for Occupational Therapists are California ($130,642 median), Massachusetts ($126,248 median), Hawaii ($125,550 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Occupational Therapist involves Master's in OT. The field is in the Healthcare sector (Healthcare), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically clinical.
With a national median of $107,913 and representation across 288 metro areas, Occupational Therapist offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $99,280 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.