National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Occupational Therapists at $96,320/year. Occupational Therapists earn 33% more nationally. The gap is $24,040 per year — or $2,003 per month.
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Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
Annual salary gap
$24,040
Occupational Therapists earn 33% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $272,500.
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Police Officers
North Carolina+$32,000
Virginia+$32,000
New Hampshire+$30,000
South Carolina+$30,000
Alabama+$28,000
Best states for Police Officers
vs Occupational Therapists
California+$-2,000
New Jersey+$-12,000
Connecticut+$-14,000
Illinois+$-14,000
Wyoming+$-14,000
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Occupational Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $96,320 for Occupational Therapists — a difference of $24,040 per year or $2,003 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Occupational Therapists is $24,040 per year. Occupational Therapists earn 33% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $272,500.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 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. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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, Police Officers earn approximately $35 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.
