National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Plumbers earn a national median of $61,550/year vs Occupational Therapists at $96,320/year. Occupational Therapists earn 56% more nationally. The gap is $34,770 per year — or $2,898 per month.
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Plumber
$61,550
national median/year
$5,129/mo • $30/hr
VS
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
Annual salary gap
$34,770
Occupational Therapists earn 56% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $394,128.
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Plumbers
Virginia+$38,000
Arizona+$36,000
Florida+$36,000
Maryland+$36,000
North Carolina+$36,000
Best states for Plumbers
vs Occupational Therapists
North Dakota+$-16,000
Illinois+$-20,000
Missouri+$-20,000
Wyoming+$-20,000
Alaska+$-22,000
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Occupational Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Plumbers is $61,550 versus $96,320 for Occupational Therapists — a difference of $34,770 per year or $2,898 per month.
The national median salary gap between Plumbers and Occupational Therapists is $34,770 per year. Occupational Therapists earn 56% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $394,128.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Plumbers the highest median salary at $82,320 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. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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, Plumbers earn approximately $30 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.
