Physical Therapist vs Occupational Therapist Salary
National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Physical Therapists earn a national median of $99,710/year vs Occupational Therapists at $96,320/year. Physical Therapists earn 3% more nationally. The gap is $3,390 per year — or $283 per month.
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Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
VS
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
Annual salary gap
$3,390
Physical Therapists earn 3% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $38,427.
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Physical Therapists
Maryland+$4,000
Massachusetts+$4,000
New York+$4,000
New Jersey+$2,000
Oregon+$2,000
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Occupational Therapists
North Dakota+$8,000
Wyoming+$8,000
Arizona+$6,000
Delaware+$6,000
Nevada+$6,000
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Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Physical Therapists is $99,710 versus $96,320 for Occupational Therapists — a difference of $3,390 per year or $283 per month.
The national median salary gap between Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists is $3,390 per year. Physical Therapists earn 3% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $38,427.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 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 — Physical Therapists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Physical Therapists 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, Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 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.
