Occupational therapists work with people who may have disabilities, illnesses or injuries that affect their ability to do everyday tasks. They assess patients’ abilities and modify the environment to meet their needs. Aspiring occupational therapists should complete a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy followed by at least two years of supervised clinical experience and pass national certification exams.
Occupational therapists help people suffering from injuries or illnesses to prepare them for the workplace. This career focuses on improving a person’s ability to work, including scheduling and coordinating therapy sessions to help improve their quality of life.”
The starting salary for an occupational therapist in New York is $44,922 per year.
Starting Salary For Occupational Therapist In NY Overview
You’ve got the skills, you’ve got the training, and you’re ready to start your career as an occupational therapist. But where? And how much can you expect to earn? We did the research so you don’t have to!
The average starting salary for an occupational therapist in New York City is $57,000 per year. That’s about $4,800 per month! However, there are some factors that can influence this number significantly. For example, pediatric occupational therapists make about $10,000 more per year than other occupational therapists in New York City. In addition, if you work in a hospital setting or private practice instead of a school or clinic setting, you can expect to earn even more money at the beginning of your career.
The good news is that there are many different types of jobs available for occupational therapists across the country—and the world! So no matter what kind of job interests you most (or where it’s located), this career path is definitely one worth considering.
Average Salary for Occupational Therapists by State
All licensed occupational therapists have completed a graduate degree, passed the national occupational therapy exam, and become licensed by the state in which they work. Because eligibility requirements to become an occupational therapist are the same across the country, years of experience and geographic location are the two biggest influencers on salary rather than education level.
Top Companies for Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings. From schools to hospitals, OTs provide essential services to children and adults.
According to CareerExplorer, these are the top five industries where OTs work:
- Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)
- Home health care services
- Offices of other professionals (physical, occupational, and speech therapists)
- Hospitals (state, local, and private)
- Elementary and secondary schools (state, local, and private)
These are the top companies for OTs in the U.S. and their average reported salaries:
- Sutter Health: $129,337
- Professional Tutors of America: $126,257
- TT Medical: $125,022
- TheraCare: $124,781
- Stern at Home Therapy: $117,168
- Outreach Physical and Occupational Therapy and Speech Rehabilitation: $116,872
- Kindred at Home: $115,248
- Lifelong Therapeutics: $112,202
- The Stepping Stones Group: $109,937
- United Therapy Solutions, Inc: $108,122
- Confident Care: $106,952
- Cranial Technologies: $105,445
- Baylor Scott & White Health: $103,897
- Host Healthcare: $102,392
- LHC Group: $101,387
- Solace Pediatric Home Healthcare: $98,232
While these companies are preferred places for an occupational therapist because of their good salary offerings, they offer many additional benefits to employees, such as:
- Flexible work schedules.
- Access to many clients.
- Good company wide communication.
- Team-building activities and high morale.
- A professional working environment.
- Employee control over caseloads.
- Supportive managers.
- Rewarding work.
The outlook for occupational therapy job growth across the U.S. is much higher than the predicted average job growth for all occupations. The demand for occupational therapists is expected to grow, as an increasing number of aging individuals and people with autism will benefit from occupational therapy services.
What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?
Occupational therapists (OTs) work with people of all ages who are struggling to do everything they would like to be able to do in their daily lives. Through the use of customized daily activities, OTs help their clients gain or regain skills that they need in order to live life to its fullest. People living with an injury, disability, or illness can benefit from occupational therapy services.
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) explains that common OT interventions include helping children with disabilities, such as autism or other learning challenges, participate more fully in school and social situations. OTs also frequently help people recovering from an injury and older adults regain physical and cognitive skills.
A typical occupational therapy program includes:
- An initial individualized evaluation to identify the client’s strengths, weaknesses, and treatment goals.
- A customized treatment plan targeted at specific goals.
- An outcomes evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the interventions and to make changes, if necessary.
Occupational therapy is an evidence-based practice rooted in science. OTs utilize a holistic perspective to figure out how to make the environment more accessible to their clients. The client is an essential part of the treatment planning process, as goals, plans, and outcomes are determined.
Occupational Therapy Salary
OTs are master’s-level therapists who have passed the Occupational Therapy Registered exam and become licensed in the state in which they practice. Because of their high level of education and training, OTs are paid relatively well throughout the country. As of June 2022, the average OT salary in the U.S. is $93,305.
Average national OT salaries vary as follows:
- Top 10%: $109,233
- Top 25%: $101,642
- Median: $93,305
- Bottom 25%: $85,470
- Bottom 10%: $78,336
As with most occupations, OT salaries typically increase with years of experience. These are average OT earnings by seniority:
- Top-level: $123,840 per year
- Senior-level: $100,490 per year
- Mid-level: $85,570 per year
- Junior-level: $75,710 per year
- Starting-level: $60,680 per year
How much do occupational therapists make in New York City?
Occupational therapists in the United States have an average annual income of $84,950, or $40.84 per hour, according to the US Bureau of Labor 2019. From the same agency, it was reported that majority of occupational therapists in the country have a master’s degree level of education. As of writing, the job outlook for this occupation is projected to increase by 16%, which is much faster than the average. In the state of New York, however, it was reported by BLS 2019 that occupational therapists may earn as much as $43.23 per hour, which in a year of work is equivalent to $89,920. In metropolitan areas of the state, however, like NYC, it is estimated by the same agency that the annual income average of an occupational therapist is around $95,990, or $46.15 per hour, which is significantly higher compared to the national average salary for this occupation.
