Occupational Therapist Salary Guide

Some healthcare facilities hire OTs on an as-needed basis. You’re not always guaranteed work, but per diem positions pay a higher wage if you’re available to cover shifts. Per diem occupational therapist jobs listed on Vivian on January 11, 2023, were paying an average of $64 per hour and as high as $78 per hour.

You won’t receive benefits or paid time off in a per diem position, but it can be a great way to boost your income. OTs who work in schools can pick up per diem shifts during summers and holidays. You can even combine a per diem position with travel OT jobs, working when you return home from a travel assignment.

Demonstrate your expertise and knowledge by earning advanced certification for niche patient populations. You can distinguish yourself for coveted OT jobs by adding further education and credentials to your resume, paving the way to more senior roles and higher pay.

The AOTA offers the following advanced certification exams:

• Board Certification in Pediatrics

• Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation

• Board Certification in Gerontology

You may be eligible to test for these credentials if you’re a certified, licensed occupational therapist in good standing and have at least:

• 3 years of experience as an occupational therapist

• 3,000 hours of experience in the certification area in the last 5 years

• 500 hours of experience delivering occupational therapy services to clients in the last 5 years

While you might be drawn to high-paying occupational therapist jobs in states such as Washington or New York, keep in mind that you’ll also be paying more out of pocket if it’s an expensive state in which to live. A large portion of your salary may go to housing, groceries, transportation and other basic living costs.

You may stretch your dollars further by factoring in the cost of living when considering a job, thus improving your salary in a roundabout way. For example, in Oklahoma, the average OT salary is $88,200 annually, per May 2021 BLS data. While this is just 1.4% lower than the nationwide average of $89,470. Oklahoma is one of the most affordable states to live in, with an overall cost of living 17.8% lower than the U.S. average, according to Sperling’s Best Places. Always run the numbers to see if a job with a lower average salary in a more affordable state actually leaves more money in your pocket in the long run.