Occupational Therapists

Summary

What Occupational Therapists Do About this section

Occupational therapists help people, such as those with disabilities, live independently.

Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities. They help clients meet goals to develop, recover, improve, and maintain skills needed for daily living and working.

Duties

Occupational therapists typically do the following:

• Evaluate clients' conditions by reviewing their medical history, interviewing them, and observing them perform various tasks
• Develop and implement treatment plans that have specific activities to help clients work toward their goals
• Help clients relearn and perform daily living tasks, such as teaching a person who has had a stroke how to get dressed
• Demonstrate exercises—for example, stretching the joints for arthritis relief—to help relieve clients’ pain
• Evaluate a client’s home, school, or workplace to identify potential accessibility improvements, such as labeling kitchen cabinets for an older person with poor memory
• Educate a client’s family about how to accommodate and care for them
• Recommend special equipment, such as mobility aids and eating aids, and instruct clients and families on how to use it
• Assess and record clients’ activities and progress for client evaluations, billing, and other purposes

Occupational therapists work with people who have permanent disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, and may need help with daily tasks. They recommend options and show clients how to use appropriate adaptive equipment, such as leg braces, wheelchairs, and eating aids. These devices help clients live their lives more independently.

Some occupational therapists work with children in inpatient, outpatient, or educational settings. They may provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers or work with school-aged children to encourage engagement, such as participating in academic activities.

Therapists who work with older adults help clients live independently and improve their quality of life. They assess clients’ abilities and environment and make recommendations to improve the clients’ everyday lives. For example, therapists may identify potential fall hazards in a client’s home and recommend their removal or help clients attend social outings.

Occupational therapists help clients create functional work environments. They evaluate the workspace, recommend modifications, and meet with the client’s employer to collaborate on changes to the client’s work environment or schedule.

Occupational therapists also may work in mental health settings, where they help clients who have developmental disabilities or mental health conditions. Therapists assist and educate clients on improving skills such as managing time, using public transportation, and doing household chores. In addition, therapists may work with individuals who have problems related to drug or alcohol abuse, depression, or trauma.

Some occupational therapists, such as those employed in hospitals, work as part of a healthcare team along with doctors, registered nurses, and other types of therapists, including physical therapists. They may work with patients who have chronic conditions, such as diabetes or arthritis, or help rehabilitate a patient recovering from a stroke or spinal cord injury. Occupational therapists also oversee the work of occupational therapy assistants and aides.

Work Environment About this section

Occupational therapists may spend a lot of time on their feet working with clients.

Occupational therapists held about 150,500 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of occupational therapists were as follows:

Occupational therapists typically work in healthcare settings. Some occupational therapists work in schools. Others travel to clients and work with them in their homes.

Injuries and Illnesses

Occupational therapists have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. They may be required to lift and move clients or heavy equipment, which can cause injuries. To limit the risk of injury, occupational therapists must use proper body mechanics and lifting technique.

Work Schedules

Most occupational therapists work full time, but part-time work is common. They may work nights or weekends, as needed, to accommodate clients’ schedules.

How to Become an Occupational Therapist About this section

Occupational therapists must be sympathetic to clients' needs and concerns.

To enter the occupation, occupational therapists typically need a master’s degree in occupational therapy. All states require occupational therapists to be licensed.

Education

Occupational therapists typically need a master’s degree in occupational therapy to enter the occupation. Occupational therapy programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.

Admission to graduate programs in occupational therapy requires a bachelor’s degree, although it may not need to be in a particular subject. However, master’s degree programs frequently require applicants to have completed coursework in biology, psychology, and other sciences. Some programs also require applicants to have volunteered or worked in an occupational therapy setting. To learn about specific requirements, applicants should contact the program in which they are interested in enrolling.

Master’s degree programs usually take 2 to 3 years to complete and typically include courses such as kinesiology, neuroscience, and anatomy. Additionally, these programs require a specified number of hours of supervised fieldwork during which prospective occupational therapists gain clinical experience.

Some schools offer a dual-degree program in which the student earns a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree upon completion.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require occupational therapists to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state, but at a minimum, candidates must pass the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). To sit for the NBCOT exam, candidates must have earned a degree from an accredited occupational therapy program that includes fieldwork.

Therapists must pass the NBCOT exam to use the title “Occupational Therapist Registered” (OTR). They also must complete a specified number of hours of continuing education to maintain state licensure and NBCOT certification.

The American Occupational Therapy Association offers board and specialty certifications in a number of areas, such as gerontology, pediatrics, and physical rehabilitation.

Some employers require candidates to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or basic life support (BLS) certification.

Important Qualities

Adaptability. Occupational therapists must be accommodating when working with clients. They must be able to change treatment plans based on clients’ needs.

Communication skills. Occupational therapists must listen closely to clients. They also must be able to explain treatment plans and goals to clients, clients’ families, and other members of the healthcare team.

Compassion. Occupational therapists work with patients who may struggle with life’s daily activities. Because of this, they must be empathetic and sensitive to a client’s needs and concerns.

Interpersonal skills. Occupational therapists spend much of their time interacting with clients and explaining treatment. They must be able to develop a rapport with clients.

Patience. Occupational therapists work with clients who have problems with everyday activities. Therapists must remain calm in order to provide quality care.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for occupational therapists was $96,370 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $65,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $129,620.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for occupational therapists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Most occupational therapists work full time. They may work nights or weekends, as needed, to accommodate clients’ schedules.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 9,800 openings for occupational therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral palsy, autism, or the loss of a limb.

The need for occupational therapists is expected to increase as the large baby-boom generation ages and people remain active later in life. Occupational therapists help older adults maintain their independence by recommending home modifications and strategies that make daily activities easier.

People will continue to seek noninvasive outpatient treatment for long-term disabilities and illnesses, and they may need occupational therapy to become more independent. Therapists will continue to be needed to assist people with autism spectrum disorder in improving their social skills and accomplishing a variety of daily tasks.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

• Occupational therapists

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about occupational therapists, visit

American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

For more information about the certification exam for Occupational Therapist, Registered, visit

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

For information regarding the requirements for practice as an occupational therapist in schools, contact state occupational therapy regulatory agencies.

O*NET

Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists

Occupational Therapists