Occupational Therapist salary
From 1,964 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 29-1122: Occupational Therapists
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 92% of Occupational Therapist filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Grandison Management. 1,682 filings (86% of the total), median $71,968.
- Median down 14% since FY2020. From $83,200 in FY2020 to $71,968 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Occupational Therapist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 1,964 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Occupational Therapist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 29-1122, Occupational Therapists). The median base salary is $71,968, 41% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $69,077 and $75,712. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 92% of filings. Chicago, IL has the most filings (386), and Grandison Management is the employer that files the most (1,682).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Occupational Therapist
Employers with the most Occupational Therapist filings. Bar: share of all Occupational Therapist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 92% of filings
Mid-level · 6% of filings
Senior · 2% of filings
Expert · 1% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $71,968 | 1,792 |
| Level II · Qualified | $99,258 | 112 |
| Level III · Experienced | $113,485 | 39 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $133,120 | 14 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Occupational Therapist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 38 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $71,968 | 386 |
| New York, NY | $76,066 | 163 |
| Baltimore, MD | $74,048 | 73 |
| St. Louis, MO | $70,408 | 45 |
| Washington, DC | $79,872 | 44 |
| Peoria, IL | $70,294 | 36 |
| Boston, MA | $75,962 | 34 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $98,072 | 33 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $74,797 | 29 |
| Detroit, MI | $61,651 | 28 |
| San Jose, CA | $118,893 | 26 |
| Ottawa, IL | $67,787 | 22 |
| Buffalo, NY | $58,843 | 21 |
| Champaign, IL | $63,627 | 21 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $71,531 | 21 |
| San Francisco, CA | $115,918 | 21 |
| Davenport, IA | $65,811 | 20 |
| Sterling, IL | $67,787 | 19 |
| Bloomington, IL | $66,872 | 15 |
| Seattle, WA | $96,408 | 15 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $56,202 | 14 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $72,280 | 14 |
| Dallas, TX | $97,760 | 13 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $64,002 | 13 |
| Providence, RI | $73,632 | 13 |
| Rockford, IL | $69,909 | 13 |
| Albany, NY | $60,746 | 12 |
| Decatur, IL | $67,122 | 12 |
| Rochester, NY | $58,822 | 12 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $79,206 | 11 |
| Orlando, FL | $74,797 | 11 |
| Tampa, FL | $72,925 | 11 |
| Hartford, CT | $76,336 | 10 |
| Jacksonville, IL | $72,342 | 10 |
| Macomb, IL | $72,342 | 10 |
| Manchester, NH | $66,716 | 10 |
| New Haven, CT | $76,045 | 10 |
| Springfield, MA | $67,943 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Occupational Therapist does
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.
Typical tasks
- Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
- Complete and maintain necessary records.
- Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
- Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
- Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
- Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Occupational Therapists (29-1122.00). This section 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.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Occupational Therapists), the median annual wage was $100,330 in May 2025, with 162,450 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $71,968, 28% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,435 | $71,690 |
| 25th percentile | $69,077 | $82,510 |
| Median | $71,968 | $100,330 |
| 75th percentile | $75,712 | $116,670 |
| 90th percentile | $87,990 | $131,950 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $62,435 |
| 25th | $69,077 |
| 50th (median) | $71,968 |
| 75th | $75,712 |
| 90th | $87,990 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $83,200 | $72,363 | $94,994 | 231 |
| FY2021 | $84,053 | $74,880 | $95,680 | 217 |
| FY2022 | $93,059 | $79,749 | $106,246 | 151 |
| FY2023 | $80,517 | $62,800 | $94,723 | 230 |
| FY2024 | $86,320 | $72,706 | $104,562 | 188 |
| FY2025 | $72,114 | $68,619 | $75,951 | 827 |
| FY2026 | $71,968 | $69,909 | $74,797 | 1,137 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Occupational Therapist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Occupational Therapist jobs is $71,968 (1,964 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $69,077 and $75,712.
What does an entry-level Occupational Therapist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $71,968. Level I accounts for 92% of Occupational Therapist filings.
Which city pays H-1B Occupational Therapists the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, New York, NY has the highest median base salary for Occupational Therapist jobs: $76,066 (163 filings).
Do H-1B Occupational Therapists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($71,968) is 28% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($100,330, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.