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Rehab & pediatrics
Occupational Therapist
Teaching people to do their own life again.
Typical pay
$75k-$105k
How you get in
Master's or doctorate in occupational therapy
Outlook
Strong; aging population and school services both growing
Occupational therapists help people regain the ability to do daily tasks after injury, illness or developmental delay. Where physical therapy restores movement, OT restores function — dressing, cooking, working, playing.
A day in the life
- 7:45aChart review, set goals for the day's caseload
- 8:30aEvaluate a stroke patient on self-care tasks
- 10:30aTreatment sessions, often with adaptive equipment
- 12:30pLunch while documenting
- 1:30pPediatric sessions — sensory and fine motor work
- 5:00pNotes, insurance authorizations, home program handouts
How to get in
Master of Occupational Therapy
Duration
6-7 years total
Cost
$50,000-$150,000 for the MOT
Credential
OTR license via the NBCOT exam
- Complete a bachelor's with the prerequisite sciences
- Accumulate observation hours across OT settings
- Complete a 2-3 year MOT with fieldwork rotations
- Pass the NBCOT and get state licensed
Entry-level doctorate (OTD)
Duration
7-8 years total
Cost
$70,000-$180,000
Credential
OTD plus OTR license
- Complete a bachelor's, then a 3-year OTD
- Finish fieldwork plus a doctoral capstone project
- Pass the NBCOT
- Same license and largely the same pay as the master's route
OT assistant first
Duration
2 years
Cost
$8,000-$30,000
Credential
COTA license
- Complete a 2-year OT assistant program
- Get licensed and work as a COTA at $55k-$70k
- Decide from inside the field whether the master's is worth it
- Few credits transfer, so the full degree is a fresh start
What people love
- · Enormously varied — hospitals, schools, homes, clinics
- · Creative problem-solving every case
- · Strong job security
- · Less physically punishing than physical therapy
What wears people down
- · Master's or doctorate for a mid-range salary
- · Productivity quotas in many settings
- · Documentation load is heavy
- · Constantly explaining what OT actually is