National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Occupational Therapists earn a national median of $96,320/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Occupational Therapists earn 8% more nationally. The gap is $7,310 per year — or $609 per month.
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Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$7,310
Occupational Therapists earn 8% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $82,861.
Best states for Nurses
vs Occupational Therapists
California+$21,150
Hawaii+$0
Connecticut+$-3,000
Nevada+$-3,000
Rhode Island+$-4,000
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Nurses
Virginia+$18,000
Alabama+$15,000
Maryland+$15,000
Florida+$14,000
Indiana+$14,000
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Occupational Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Occupational Therapists is $96,320 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $7,310 per year or $609 per month.
The national median salary gap between Occupational Therapists and Nurses is $7,310 per year. Occupational Therapists earn 8% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $82,861.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Occupational Therapists the highest median salary at $110,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 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. Occupational Therapists and Registered Nurses 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, Occupational Therapists earn approximately $46 per hour nationally and Nurses earn approximately $43 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.
