National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Occupational Therapists earn a national median of $96,320/year vs Pilots at $203,010/year. Pilots earn 111% more nationally. The gap is $106,690 per year — or $8,891 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
VS
Pilot
$203,010
national median/year
$16,918/mo • $98/hr
Annual salary gap
$106,690
Pilots earn 111% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,209,363.
Best states for Pilots
vs Occupational Therapists
California+$127,690
New York+$121,690
Virginia+$121,690
Maryland+$117,690
New Jersey+$117,690
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Pilots
Arkansas+$-75,690
Mississippi+$-77,690
West Virginia+$-79,690
Alabama+$-81,690
New Mexico+$-81,690
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Pilots earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Occupational Therapists is $96,320 versus $203,010 for Pilots — a difference of $106,690 per year or $8,891 per month.
The national median salary gap between Occupational Therapists and Pilots is $106,690 per year. Pilots earn 111% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,209,363.
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 Pilots the highest median salary at $238,010 per year.
Salary is one factor — Pilots earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Occupational Therapists and Airline and Commercial Pilots 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 Pilots earn approximately $98 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.
