25 Best States For Occupational Therapists

If you are an occupational therapist looking to find your perfect new home state, take a look into our list of the 25 best states for occupational therapists.

Occupational therapists help people in all walks of life through therapeutic use of common, everyday activities. This may include helping differently-abled children to participate better in school and with their peers, assisting people in their physical and mental recovery after an accident, or helping the elderly with physical and cognitive changes that come with age. Generally, an occupational therapy roadmap includes an evaluation, customized intervention, and an outcomes evaluation.This job requires a great deal of patience, kindness, professionalism, and selflessness, and is not an ideal path for everyone.

Becoming an occupational therapist requires a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. In America, a state license is required, as well as CPR or Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification. There are many optional specialization certificates available as well, which will help set you apart form the crowd. Many employers prefer a year or two of experience before hiring; so it may behoove you to secure an internship. Prospective employers will be looking for great communication skills, interpersonal skills, and even strong writing skills.

If you are looking for a therapy job within the medical field, also feel free to check out our list of 25 best states for radiation therapists.

Deciding which states qualify as the “best” is not a simple task. Different factors matter more to different people. We decided to consult the Bureau of Labor Statistics for information on the average mean wage and the number of employed occupational therapists in each state. We then sourced information on the cost of living index from Missouri Economic Research And Information Center. Considering all of these factors, we were able to sort our list of best states for occupational therapists.

It is not enough for a state to simply have a high average salary for its occupational therapists. It must also be considered that the number of working occupational therapists in the state may affect the number of job positions that are open to newcomers. On the other side of that argument, more employed occupational therapists points to the possibility of a more steady stream of work available. The cost of living index can also not be considered alone. It is great to have a low cost of living, but this only matters if your salary is also not super low. A low cost of living paired with a high salary is the most advantageous situation. States falling into this category made the top of our list. 

Without further ado, here is our list of 25 best states for occupational therapists.

25. New Mexico

Cost of living index: 95.7

Annual mean wage: $78,540

Hourly mean wage: $37.75

Number of employees: 670

24. Nebraska

Cost of living index: 91.3

Annual mean wage: $75,810

Hourly mean wage: $36.44

Number of employees: 980

23. Delaware

Cost of living index: 102.6

Annual mean wage: $85,930

Hourly mean wage: $41.31

Number of employees: 300

22. Colorado

Cost of living index: 102.1

Annual mean wage: $86,420

Hourly mean wage: $41.54

Number of employees: 2,670

21. Florida

Cost of living index: 99

Annual mean wage: $84,150

Hourly mean wage: $40.45

Number of employees: 6,140

20. Illinois

Cost of living index: 95.5

Annual mean wage: $82,450

Hourly mean wage: $39.63

Number of employees: 4,800

19. Louisiana

Cost of living index: 94.4

Annual mean wage: $81,510

Hourly mean wage: $39.18

Number of employees: 1,660

18. Utah

Cost of living index: 92.8

Annual mean wage: $80,260

Hourly mean wage: $38.58

Number of employees: 840

17. North Carolina

Cost of living index: 94.2

Annual mean wage: $81,570

Hourly mean wage: $93.21

Number of employees: 3,150

16. Indiana

Cost of living index: 87.9

Annual mean wage: $76,360

Hourly mean wage: $36.71

Number of employees: 2,670

15. Arizona

Cost of living index: 98.1

Annual mean wage: $85,470

Hourly mean wage: $41.009

Number of employees: 1,550

14. Kentucky

Cost of living index: 90.8

Annual mean wage: $80,110

Hourly mean wage: $38.51

Number of employees: 1,630

13. West Virginia

Cost of living index: 95.7

Annual mean wage: $84,440

Hourly mean wage: $40.59

Number of employees: 690

12. Kansas

Cost of living index: 90.4

Annual mean wage: $79,810

Hourly mean wage: $38.37

Number of employees: 1,170

We’re halfway through our list of best states for occupational therapists, nad now, let’s see the other half.

11. Oklahoma

Cost of living index: 88.6

Annual mean wage: $78,620

Hourly mean wage: $37.79

Number of employees: 930

10. Michigan

Cost of living index: 88.2

Annual mean wage: $78,490

Hourly mean wage: $37.73

Number of employees: 4,810

9. Georgia

Cost of living index: 91.4

Annual mean wage: $82,040

Hourly mean wage: $39.44

Number of employees: 2,820

8. Alabama

Cost of living index: 91.2

Annual mean wage: $82,250

Hourly mean wage: $39.54

Number of employees: 1,080

7. Virginia

Cost of living index: 100.2

Annual mean wage: $91,450

Hourly mean wage: $43.96

Number of employees: 2,850

6. Ohio

Cost of living index: 93

Annual mean wage: $84,910

Hourly mean wage: $40.82

Number of employees: 4,620

5. Arkansas

Cost of living index: 88.5

Annual mean wage: $80,850

Hourly mean wage: $38.87

Number of employees: 1,030

4. Tennessee

Cost of living index: 89.8

Annual mean wage: $82,660

Hourly mean wage: $39.74

Number of employees: 1,970

3. Mississippi

Cost of living index: 86

Annual mean wage: $80,890

Hourly mean wage: $38.93

Number of employees: 910

2. Nevada

Cost of living index: 104.5

Annual mean wage: $101,870

Hourly mean wage: $48.97

Number of employees: 680

1. Texas

Cost of living index: 90.7

Annual mean wage: $96,800

Hourly mean wage: $46.53

Number of employees: 9,160

This was our list of 25 best states for occupational therapists. We hope we managed to show you some great options, and what you should expect from each state when deciding where to move.