National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Truck Drivers earn a national median of $54,320/year vs Occupational Therapists at $96,320/year. Occupational Therapists earn 77% more nationally. The gap is $42,000 per year — or $3,500 per month.
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Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
VS
Occupational Therapist
$96,320
national median/year
$8,027/mo • $46/hr
Annual salary gap
$42,000
Occupational Therapists earn 77% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $476,082.
Best states for Occupational Therapists
vs Truck Drivers
Hawaii+$52,000
Washington+$50,000
California+$48,000
Massachusetts+$46,000
New York+$46,000
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Occupational Therapists
North Dakota+$-22,000
West Virginia+$-22,000
South Dakota+$-24,000
Wyoming+$-24,000
Mississippi+$-26,000
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Occupational Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Truck Drivers is $54,320 versus $96,320 for Occupational Therapists — a difference of $42,000 per year or $3,500 per month.
The national median salary gap between Truck Drivers and Occupational Therapists is $42,000 per year. Occupational Therapists earn 77% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $476,082.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Truck Drivers the highest median salary at $62,320 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. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 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, Truck Drivers earn approximately $26 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.
