How much do OTs make?

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OTwonnabe

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How much do OTs make in the midwest? I need an estimate for homehealth, SNFs, hospital, and schools. I need to make a decision on how much student loan is worth taking to pursue OT. I want to purse OT school but I can't convince my family due to the high student loans (about 70K). I currently make 40K in my current job with a masters and 8 years experience and no student loans.

If you are in the midwest or Dallas area, and are an OT or happen to work with OTs, would you mind providing me with this information? I shadowed OTs here but none of them was willing to reveal the starting pay, not sure why.
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AOTA, our professional organization, can give you an idea of wages. The salary varies depending on the geographical area and setting you practice in. I was born and raised in Southeast Missouri. An OT in long term care can easily make 70k as OTs are hard to find in my area. Hospital based and pediatric OTs don't make as much in my area. Definitely, check out AOTAs website if you haven't. You did the right thing by shadowing. I was volunteering in my local hospital as a sophomore in high school. It looks good on your application as well. They want to make sure if they accept you, you are going to graduate. Good luck. I have been practicing for 16 years and love every minute of it. Still love being an OT but think as an MD with my OT background, I would be a great pediatrician! Of course, we all think that or we wouldn't be pursuing the fields we are.
 
OT2MD said:
AOTA, our professional organization, can give you an idea of wages. The salary varies depending on the geographical area and setting you practice in. I was born and raised in Southeast Missouri. An OT in long term care can easily make 70k as OTs are hard to find in my area. Hospital based and pediatric OTs don't make as much in my area. Definitely, check out AOTAs website if you haven't. You did the right thing by shadowing. I was volunteering in my local hospital as a sophomore in high school. It looks good on your application as well. They want to make sure if they accept you, you are going to graduate. Good luck. I have been practicing for 16 years and love every minute of it. Still love being an OT but think as an MD with my OT background, I would be a great pediatrician! Of course, we all think that or we wouldn't be pursuing the fields we are.
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Thanks. I went to grad school at SEMO. I have decided to go ahead and pursue it. I am working on the prerequisites.
 
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I'm an OT from Upstate NY - not the area you're asking about, but for what it's worth:

- I think the AOTA information is a good starting point. You could look at monster.com, but PLEASE remember that those salaries, in my mind, are often inflated a bit.

- You could look in the local papers or at the websites of specific local healthcare places; sometimes the starting salaries are listed right there, in plain sight.

- Lastly, you could try to get your hands on a "throw-away" magazine called Advance for Occupational Therapy - it's put out weekly, and has little tidbit articles but is very much driven by the ads for jobs in the back of it. MANY OTs get this; a backdoor route to finding salaries might be to ask someone to borrow a few of these, and check out the ads. Remember that the very high salaries are often placed where it's hard to get or keep employees, so take that with a grain of salt.

dc
 
I am starting OT school this fall but from what I know, it really depends in the area you are located at. Here in Houston, I see many employment opportunity for OT since we have the Medical center here in Downtown and all the other affiliated hospital around the Houston areas.

I've heard nursing homes pays the most and there are always opportunities for PRN. (as needed), such as weekends or just picking up an extra shift when you want. Lets say you start at 52,000 but with PRN, picking up extra shifts anywhere between 32.00 to 40.00/hr can raise your income easily.

Texas public university has affordable/cheap tuition so going to a private school for grad school doesn't make a difference when it comes to finding a OT job.

and like what others say, there are different salaries all over, so what one company will offer, another company might be lower/higher.
 
Great. I will look into some of the cheaper schools. If I can't manage to relocate I will just forget about OT. I went to a student loan calculator website and I realized that if I accumulate 60-70,000 in student loans, I will pay back approximately $800 a month for the next ten years. Not worth it at all. I am better off doing what I am doing with zero student loans.

A good rule of thumb is the total sum of your student loan should be lower than the your expected starting salary once you graduate. From thay calculator, the feed back I recieved was that I would need to make over $90,000 a year to be able to pay off that student loan in 10 years.

I want to have a life after I graduate and don't want to pay loans even when my kids are going to college.

If I can't get a cheaper school costing less that 40,000, then I am done with OT school. It is good to do your math sometimes. OTs are not MDs or PTs. They make much less, some as low as $40,000 per year.
 
OTwonnabe said:
OTs are not MDs or PTs. They make much less, some as low as $40,000 per year.
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The thing that is difficult to have any influence on is the amount that is reimbursed. Medicare is only gonna pay a certain amount for an OT eval, or a unit of billed therapeutic activity.

You could try working for yourself or doing travelling OT, or PRN/per diem; there are often higher dollar signs there - but there is a degree of sacrifice, too. If you have a significant other that can carry the family's health insurance, why not do early intervention or contract to a school? In my area, folks are getting good coin doing that.

I'm kinda intrigued by your comment - how much, by the way, do you think PTs are making?

dc
 
You could try working for yourself or doing travelling OT, or PRN/per diem; there are often higher dollar signs there - but there is a degree of sacrifice, too. If you have a significant other that can carry the family's health insurance, why not do early intervention or contract to a school? In my area, folks are getting good coin doing that.

What kind of sacrifice do travellers or agency employees have to make?
Right now my family insurance is through my significant other, so benefits would not be a big consideration for me.
 
[They make much less, some as low as $40,000 per year.]..........

40,000 is LOW for an OT, but for an Occupational Therapist Assistant(OTA), that sounds like an average for them. I could be wrong, but 40K, is low for an OT. Where did you read that from?

Does anybody Know ball-park average on what an OT can make starting at??
 
Nerdd13 said:
[They make much less, some as low as $40,000 per year.]..........

40,000 is LOW for an OT, but for an Occupational Therapist Assistant(OTA), that sounds like an average for them. I could be wrong, but 40K, is low for an OT. Where did you read that from?

Does anybody Know ball-park average on what an OT can make starting at??
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I went to a discovery OT program at a local university and when we asked about average starting salaries, they said 40-50,000. To me that sems pretty low for someone to affor paying $800 a month in student loans. That is in the midwest.

There is a public university in my state offering the program but it is 2 hours drive one way. Long commute but cheaper. I guess it is more cost effective than attending a $75,000 program. Sounds more like a rip-off to me!!
 
This is what I found out from the goverment site with the latest update for the 2008-2009 year:

OT's:

Median annual earnings of occupational therapists were $60,470 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $50,450 and $73,710. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $89,450. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of occupational therapists in May 2006 were:


Home health care services$67,600Nursing care facilities64,750Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists62,290General medical and surgical hospitals61,610Elementary and secondary schools54,260​

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm#earnings

PT's

Median annual earnings of physical therapists were $66,200 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $55,030 and $78,080. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $46,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,810. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of physical therapists in May 2006 were:


Home health care services$70,920Nursing care facilities68,650General medical and surgical hospitals66,630Offices of physicians65,900Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists65,150​

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm#earnings
 
from those figures above otwannabe you are of 5k pt's make about 5000 dollars more than ots and they also go to school for a year longer. it is best, i think to choose between the two based on which field interest you more not by salary.
 
Readybetty said:
from those figures above otwannabe you are of 5k pt's make about 5000 dollars more than ots and they also go to school for a year longer. it is best, i think to choose between the two based on which field interest you more not by salary.
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Agreed, Readybetty.
Although people commonly like to lump what PTs and OTs do together, the professions are quite different.
 
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Nerdd13 said:
[They make much less, some as low as $40,000 per year.]..........

40,000 is LOW for an OT, but for an Occupational Therapist Assistant(OTA), that sounds like an average for them. I could be wrong, but 40K, is low for an OT. Where did you read that from?

Does anybody Know ball-park average on what an OT can make starting at??
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That is actually not low for a new grad. I started at 42,000 about 3 years ago. I make more than that after moving to the midwest from the south...but 40,000 to 50,000 is generally starting salary for NEW GRADS. (I will say that you will make more in the home health and SNF fields, but I would not recommend working in those job fields as a new grad either)
 
When you say around 40,000...what areas in the country are you talking about? I mean, if it's in a place where you can buy a house for 250k, 40k a year is not bad.

I live in a big city with a high cost of living (a crampy 900 sq ft house is like 800-900k right now, even w/ the recession), so OTs have a couple years experience have salaries of 70,000+ in addition to sign on bonuses. With 5+ years experience, I've seen salaries of 100,000+.
 
chipmunk222 said:
I live in a big city with a high cost of living (a crampy 900 sq ft house is like 800-900k right now, even w/ the recession), so OTs have a couple years experience have salaries of 70,000+ in addition to sign on bonuses. With 5+ years experience, I've seen salaries of 100,000+.
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Which big city do you live in? I live in the DC metro region and, based off looking at monster.com, a new grad can start of at 50K to 60K. That's actually not good considering DC is an expensive area, but I think with a couple of years of experience the salary can be bumped up much more.
 
many state salaries are public informantion... that's a hint...
anyway..
you can see 80 if you do home care at night.
I'll leave it at that.
All those average salaries average in people who work in places where it's ok to make less b/c it's slow or close to home or part time, or there's a state pension at the end of the road ... some teaching hospitals pride themselves on teaching more than paying..

more PT's are directors, so their director salary bumps them up...
if you hustle .. you will see more.

on the 2% chance you came off like a gold digger to your supervisors, remember that nobody gets rich on OT or PT. comfortable, but not rich.

wanna make a million? make a wii game for seniors and disabled kids.
or find a way to underclock a wii so the cool games go slower.
just remember me when you get paid. :xf:


what do you have your masters in? just wondering....
 
Gainesvillian said:
how are they different?
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Occupational therapists help people with physical and mental impairments and disabilities achieve as much function and independence as possible with regards to activities of daily living (grooming, dressing, eating, bathing etc.) and other activities that are meaningful to the client/patient (cooking, studying, working, etc). OTs focus on a range of activities depending on the age and needs/desires of the client....
While physical therapists often focus on gross motor skills, ambulation (walking), and strengthening large muscle groups (often focusing on the lower body), OTs usually focus on fine motor skills (hand use), upper extremity function, and mental health issues. Pediatric OTs also help children with disabilities (Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, etc.) lead more functional lives (though they often work on a team with PTs as well). OTs tend to be trained to look at all aspects of an individual's rehabilitation/habilitation (pyschosocial factors, environmental contexts, habits, routines, roles, etc), while physical therapists often focus more on muscle strength/body movements/kinesiology issues.

Hope this helps.
 
What area are you living in? As far as the area I plan to work in is concerned OTs are in extremely high demand and straight out of school an OT can make 85,000 to 120,000, depends on what type of setting you want. These salaries almost matche what pharmacists are making, so we may not be MDs or PTs, but we are making darn good cash!

And as far as paying back your loans, you don't have to only pay the minimum every month, if you budget yourself correctly you will pay them in no time. Everyone gets school loans, except those who are exceptionally rich or have their parents paying for everything. It is just a fact of life and in order to make money you have to spend money. It is an investment that we will one day have a great return on!
 
JavOT10 said:
What area are you living in? As far as the area I plan to work in is concerned OTs are in extremely high demand and straight out of school an OT can make 85,000 to 120,000, depends on what type of setting you want.
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What area do you plan to work in? With all due respect, a new OT grad making 85K to 120K/year straight out of school seems too good to be true.
 
It is called the valley in texas (south of Corpus Christi), and yes it is true. I have several family members and friends in the profession and that is what it is.
 
Not sure if this helps at all but in Canada....

MOT programs require between 3-4 years undergrad prior to entry
program length = 2 years full time = ~7000 a year including books, tuition, and supplies
Starting salary ~55,000 Canadian
Pretty sure you are eligible for practicing in the USA upon an exam - might be a more economical option for people in the USA....

Hope that helps someone out there!

ps- I looked into OT as an option thats why I know this...
 
Hello all,

I know that I'm bringing up an old thread, but seeing that I have information on this topic.... I am a former director of inpatient rehabilitation from south texas and our starting salary for both PT and OT was $90,000 along with a $5000 sign on bonus. PTAs and COTAs were significantly lower (which I found unusual, but there was a COTA program nearby) at around $50,000. This was for full time employees. My PRN staff made $65-75 and $35-50 respectively. Initially, I though this was very good pay for these positions, but I found Home Health to be paying $65-$85 and $45-60 (again, respectively) per 30min visit. There was always plenty of opportunities for picking up additional hours with the multiple SNFs and outpatient clinics in the area as well. I have to admit I felt the outpatient clinics were a scam, having 10 techs doing almost all treatments and the Therapist was just there for paperwork... Regardless, if you can handle living in the Valley (and there are some decent areas) and being 2+ hours from civilization as most of us know, you can make really good money. One PT who I know very well cleared over $200,000 in just over one year while she was down there. Nice Indeed!
 
jpsimcik said:
Hello all,

I know that I'm bringing up an old thread, but seeing that I have information on this topic.... I am a former director of inpatient rehabilitation from south texas and our starting salary for both PT and OT was $90,000 along with a $5000 sign on bonus. PTAs and COTAs were significantly lower (which I found unusual, but there was a COTA program nearby) at around $50,000. This was for full time employees. My PRN staff made $65-75 and $35-50 respectively. Initially, I though this was very good pay for these positions, but I found Home Health to be paying $65-$85 and $45-60 (again, respectively) per 30min visit. There was always plenty of opportunities for picking up additional hours with the multiple SNFs and outpatient clinics in the area as well. I have to admit I felt the outpatient clinics were a scam, having 10 techs doing almost all treatments and the Therapist was just there for paperwork... Regardless, if you can handle living in the Valley (and there are some decent areas) and being 2+ hours from civilization as most of us know, you can make really good money. One PT who I know very well cleared over $200,000 in just over one year while she was down there. Nice Indeed!
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can you give an example of a city in this valley in Texas?
 
I think jpsimcik is referring to the rio grande valley.............brownsville, harlingen, edinburg, mcallen, etc
 
I would love to hear some opinions on this topic: I keep hearing people (probably with certain political proclivities) naysay about how the recent changes in healthcare will lower salaries in the healthcare field. I also hear others (who are usually commenting off the cuff) that they feel the recent changes in healthcare will secure those working in healthcare. How do you feel these changes (the ACA) will affect our job security as OT's? How about our salaries?
 
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Reading Dan and his posts gives a bit of a relief, realizing that breaking the six figures barrier isn't an anomaly in this profession.
 
OTwonnabe said:
If I can't get a cheaper school costing less that 40,000, then I am done with OT school. It is good to do your math sometimes. OTs are not MDs or PTs. They make much less, some as low as $40,000 per year.
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I'm going to Chicago State University. It's not the most glamorous looking school in the world (or glamorous at all), but it is very very cheap. They have scholarships for students who are financially not able to pay for tuition and it covers at least a third of your tuition*. Full-time fall/spring semester is about 4-5 grand. Summer classes about 2 grand. That's really good compared to UIC or Midwestern. I got accepted to Midwestern (in Illinois obviously) and it would cost 60K a year!!!! That's how much an OT makes in a year! The entire program at CSU is still cheaper than ONE year of MWU.

* I should add that some students are getting practically a full ride. But for me, it turned out to be a third of my tuition. Plus, they have scholarships available outside of the OT department. If you're a guy, they have a male initiative scholarships and other opportunities. Check it out.
 
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As far as the salaries go, if you're willing to relocate, I hear there are some great jobs out of state. Illinois is broke financially (hurray for us!) so if you're willing to go elsewhere in the country, you can find some really nice paying jobs.

Don't forget about the stressfulness of the job in comparison to the salary. I have some family members in business and they're making 90+ a year easy, but the level of stress they have is incredible. I'd never be able to deal with that. So many OT's I've talked to mention that they're just chillin'. Their careers are so smooth going and streamlined that everything has become a part of their routine. It's not high stress all the time and that is something I look forward to.
 
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Nice about Chicago State, and that more males are interested in OT! I'm in Florida, but Chicago has been in my mind for awhile.

To maximize salary as an OT (bumping a little more since taxes, etc) I wonder if working 4 10 hour (could be tiring) days is possible, leaving an extra day or two for PRN or home health. Travel is an option to those who are able. I know most jobs are in SNF but what about rehab/acute hospitals?
 
I don't think I know enough about the work opportunities yet but I do know there are jobs in rehabilitation and hospitals. I just don't know the extent of it and the salaries that go with it.
 
MOT4ME said:
I'm out of state. My tuition would be 10k I believe. I need to call and ask if after year one I would be an Illinois resident for the purposes of tuition. If so, I will really need to consider going there.

This is quite a quandry I am in. I am not sure what to do. It's down to Chicago State or Western Michigan for me. Btw, I am also a guy. I am so glad there are more of us. Yes, I have serious, serious problems with the income ceiling most OT's face. The *average* OT income is not enough for me. I can't get by on just 75k a year-- and many OTs make as little as 40-50k a year. Those are some very small potatoes in the healthcare profession.
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this maybe not the best source, but still gives you an understanding of the trend:

average salary in Illinois is $98,000
average salary in Michigan is $87,000

Im sure one ca pick up a prn job or two and push it over the 6 figure limit. or you could get those certifications Dan was talking about in the other thread to push your $ income.
 
I really should just get a sticky made.
 
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MEOT said:
this maybe not the best source, but still gives you an understanding of the trend:

average salary in Illinois is $98,000
average salary in Michigan is $87,000

Im sure one ca pick up a prn job or two and push it over the 6 figure limit. or you could get those certifications Dan was talking about in the other thread to push your $ income.
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whoa!

where are you getting this information from? I'm actually shocked to see this.
 
I have heard 40k to 125k.

SNF is 70k to 85k. More if you do more shifts.

No idea inpatient/acute or school. I hear a bunch of stuff.
 
there are a couple of threads on this forum talking about compensation.

indeed forums
bls info
aota ad for school ot w/salary offered of ~60k
classmates
teachers
ot reddit
I asked OTs in SNF how much they get paid in my area.

There is a guy in this forum who commented some time back that he was making 125k. You have to search it out. If was a Q and A session type of thread.
 
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I want to bump this and ask about NY.

I read online that the average salary starting for NYC is 90k.That seems WAY too good to be true. I am expecting about 65k would be starting, no? I also know that OTs in a school setting make a lot less but I'm seeing 45k as starting, that isn't much more than being a teacher.

Anyone have accurate data for NY or even better, personal experience?
 
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