National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Firefighters earn a national median of $58,290/year vs Occupational Therapists at $96,320/year. Occupational Therapists earn 65% more nationally. The gap is $38,030 per year — or $3,169 per month.
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Firefighter
$58,290
national median/year
$4,858/mo • $28/hr
VS
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
Annual salary gap
$38,030
Occupational Therapists earn 65% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $431,081.
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Firefighters
Virginia+$42,000
North Carolina+$40,000
Georgia+$38,000
New Hampshire+$38,000
South Carolina+$38,000
Best states for Firefighters
vs Occupational Therapists
California+$-22,000
Wyoming+$-24,000
Illinois+$-28,000
North Dakota+$-28,000
West Virginia+$-28,000
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Occupational Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Firefighters is $58,290 versus $96,320 for Occupational Therapists — a difference of $38,030 per year or $3,169 per month.
The national median salary gap between Firefighters and Occupational Therapists is $38,030 per year. Occupational Therapists earn 65% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $431,081.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Firefighters the highest median salary at $88,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Occupational Therapists the highest median salary at $110,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Occupational Therapists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Firefighters and Occupational Therapists both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Firefighters earn approximately $28 per hour nationally and Occupational Therapists earn approximately $46 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
