There are many “occupations,” or routine tasks, that people take for granted until health situations or other events make them harder to do. Sometimes, daily living requires intervention to overcome barriers, and occupational therapists and assistants help people with that process. Simply put, occupational therapy helps clients care for themselves and participate in daily activities.
There is a rising need for occupational therapy, and the 2025 career outlook is promising. The overall demand for occupational therapists is expected to grow by 11 percent from 2023 to 2033. Read on to learn more about job opportunities for OTs, career benefits, top locations, travel opportunities, and more.
Understanding Occupational Therapy Services
Occupational therapy focuses on helping people do what they want, and need, to do in everyday life. Some examples of what an occupational therapist might help a client with are performing job-related tasks, mobility improvements, cognitive skills, pain management, and more.
Occupational Therapist Job Responsibilities
An occupational therapist works with diverse populations across various settings, and their daily tasks can vary significantly based on the specific populations and facilities they serve. Common responsibilities include evaluating clients’ needs and conditions, developing tailored treatment plans, helping clients set and achieve specific goals, assessing environments to recommend necessary adaptations, providing training for special equipment, and maintaining thorough documentation and reporting.
Common Occupational Therapy Conditions
Many factors may lead someone to need an occupational therapist. Occupational therapy can help those dealing with chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, or arthritis as well as recovery from injuries or surgeries like amputation, burns, spinal injury, and joint replacement. Another area occupational therapy can be helpful for clients is neurological and neurocognitive issues like stroke, traumatic brain injury, and dementia. There are also more general populations occupational therapy can support such as aging, autism, diabetes, and learning disabilities.
Work Settings for Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists are needed across many different types of settings across the continuum of care. They can most often be found working in these locations:
- Clinics
- Healthcare Facilities
- Home Health Care
- Hospitals
- Rehabilitation Centers (Rehab)
- Schools
- Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)
The Path to Working in Occupational Therapy
Becoming an occupational therapist is an excellent career choice for anyone who enjoys working with people and combining healthcare and science to find optimal outcomes. The path to working in occupational therapy involves specific educational and clinical requirements. Here are five steps to becoming an occupational therapist:
- Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: Earning a Bachelor’s degree in an area relevant to occupational therapy, such as biology or psychology, is the foundation of the path to occupational therapy.
- Complete Prerequisites: Before pursuing a graduate degree, therapists must complete the right prerequisites. Check the specific courses, volunteer work, or observation hours required by each graduate program.
- Complete a Graduate Program: The two graduate paths to occupational therapy are a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). Both require fieldwork in addition to coursework and a certification exam. The MOT path will equip therapists to work with all ages and populations, while the OTD path will better prepare therapists for leadership and research roles.
- Pass the NBCOT: After a graduate program, passing the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is the next step to becoming an occupational therapist. This is a required certification across the country.
- Become Licensed: Each state has specific licensing requirements. Check here to verify a specific state’s licensing process.
Occupational therapy assistants need an associate’s degree from an OTA program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), that typically takes two years. To become a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA), they must take and pass the NBCOT COTA exam to become certified after graduation. Each state has their one licensing requirements.
Occupational Therapist Career Benefits
Compensation
Occupational therapists’ annual compensation varies depending on location, but the average annual base salary is $94,375 per year. The average hourly rate if $45, and up to $67 in some areas of the country.
High Demand
The demand for occupational therapists is steadily increasing at a higher rate than many other specialties. Some of this high demand is due to people remaining active later in life, as well as the larger baby-boom generation aging and needing occupational services to maintain independence.
Top-Paying OT Jobs
One draw of occupational therapy is the wide variety of populations and settings to work with. Some of the top-paying roles within occupational therapy include:
- Home Health
- Geriatric Services
- Specialty Hospitals
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Acute Care
- Pediatrics
Advanced OT Certifications
There are many areas that occupational therapists can become certified in to increase earning potential and job opportunities. Here are a few advanced certifications to consider for occupational therapy practitioners who want to specialize and earn national-level recognition:
- Gerontology (BCG)
- Pediatrics (BCP)
- Physical Rehabilitation (BCPR)
- Certified Hand Therapist (CHT)
Career Growth
There are many areas that occupational therapists can become certified in to increase earning potential and job opportunities. Here are three advanced certifications to consider for occupational therapy practitioners who want to specialize and earn national-level recognition:
- Specialization: To advance their careers, therapists can work specifically in gerontology, pediatrics, physical rehabilitation, or another specialty.
- Mentorship: Some occupational therapists can opt to have or be a career mentor, which involves an experienced OT guiding and supporting students or new therapists.
- Manager/Supervisor Roles: This advancement typically involves overseeing therapy departments, setting staff goals, collaborating with other departments and health professionals, hiring and training, and more.
Top Locations for Occupational Therapist Jobs
Occupational therapists are highly needed nationwide, with widely available travel opportunities. Consider a few of these top choices for travel positions in occupational therapy:
- California: California ranks among the top options for travel occupational therapists because of ample work opportunities and top-paying salaries. The job market for occupational therapists is expected to grow by almost 19% in California between 2018 and 2028. There are also plenty of opportunities for exploring and adventuring all throughout the state.
- Arizona: The professional opportunities across the sunny state of Arizona are appealing to many travel occupational therapists. Offering both rural clinics and urban hospitals, this state has a wide array of healthcare opportunities. The Southwest landscape offers adventure and unique exploring recreation as well.
- Texas: The low cost of living attracts many travel workers to Texas. There are many occupational therapy positions in clinical settings throughout the state, with plenty of job types to choose from. Diverse metropolitan areas across the state offer something for everyone.
- North Carolina: Travel therapists looking for outdoor adventure and unforgettable beaches should consider North Carolina. This beautiful state also has a low cost of living and a high demand for occupational therapists.
- Indiana: This Midwest state may not initially come to the top of someone’s mind, but the friendly small towns and slower pace may be the right fit for a travel therapist’s next position. The very low cost of living and quality health care facilities make this a great state to take a travel opportunity. If a big city is still the goal, Indianapolis is a great healthcare hub to spend time as a travel occupational therapist.
Travel Opportunities for Occupational Therapists
The new Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact) will provide interstate licensing services for occupational therapists. This compact, similar to the Nurse Licensure Compact, will make it more efficient for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to practice across state lines and work in travel positions without the hassle of extra licensure requirements. Some states have already enacted the OT Compact, which means they have passed legislation to join the agreement. The next step is for the Compact to be operationalized (put into practice), which is expected to happen mid-2025.
Find the Right Occupational Therapy Job with SHC
Are you looking for your next OT job opportunity? Supplemental Health Care is ready to help you find your next role. Our recruiting team can connect you with the right position or location for the next step in your occupational therapy career. Reach out today!
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