Occupational Therapist: career path and pay in the US
Where a Occupational Therapist goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 3 steps, from Occupational Therapist to Senior Occupational Therapist / OT Manager / Director of OT.
Also for the United Kingdom: Occupational Therapist in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 3 years
Occupational Therapist
$85K to $130K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: OT License - US, HCPC Registration - UK/EU, MOT (required) - US.
Step 2 · 3 to 8 years
Occupational Therapist / Senior OT
$100K to $155K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: OT License - US, HCPC Registration - UK/EU, MOT - US, Specialty Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 8+ years
Senior Occupational Therapist / OT Manager / Director of OT
$120K to $180K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: OT License - US, HCPC Registration - UK/EU, MOT - US, Specialty Certification - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$85K to $130K → $120K to $180K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Occupational Therapist ($51.81); this band converts it at 40 hours a week. No US estimate was found for OT Manager; this band is placed between the neighbouring steps.
What the work involves
Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge areas
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Education and Training
Education people bring
- Master's Degree: 86%
- Bachelor's Degree: 14%
- Some College Courses: 0%
Job Zone 5, job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Other paths from here
- OT Manager
- Director of OT
- Healthcare Administrator
- OT Educator
More Healthcare paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Occupational Therapy Assistants, Occupational Therapy Aides, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.