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
Average openings
54/100Fewer openings per worker than the average job, and the field is growing.
JobPOVs index, calculated from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025-2035 for Occupational therapists. It measures how many openings arise each year relative to the size of the field — not how many people apply. BLS does not publish a saturation figure.
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
7:45a – 5:00p · 9 hours 15 min
- 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