Career setting profile

Therapy offices occupational therapy careers

OTs pursuing hands, neuro, pediatrics, ergonomics, driving rehab, private practice, or other clinic-based specialties. Compare BLS wage signals with The OT Index fit scores for autonomy, schedule quality, documentation intensity, and career upside.

OT rank #4OTA rank #3$96,380 OT median2024

Setting snapshot

Pay and fit signals in one view

The profile separates official BLS wage data from fit signals that should be discussed in interviews, offer reviews, and career planning.

OT median wage$96,380BLS OOH setting row, salary rank #4.

OTA median wage$65,590BLS OOH OTA setting row, salary rank #3.

Autonomy score74Strong relative fit signal.

Schedule score65Moderate schedule-quality signal.

Role	Salary rank	Median annual wage	Wage signal	Autonomy	Schedule	Documentation	Career upside
OT Outpatient depth, productivity metrics, specialty upside	4	$96,380	90/100 wage percentile signal	74/100	65/100	50/100	82/100
OTA Stable setting, local market dependent	3	$65,590	86/100 wage percentile signal	66/100	66/100	50/100	72/100

Fit scorecard

Where this setting is strong and where to pressure-test it

A high wage is useful only if the daily operating model supports good work. Use these signals as interview prompts, not as a substitute for offer-specific details.

Wage signal90/100

Very strong. BLS wage strength relative to the other major published OT and OTA settings.

Autonomy74/100

Strong. How much control clinicians typically have over daily flow, judgment, and patient management.

Schedule quality65/100

Moderate. Predictability, commute burden, calendar quality, weekend demand, and visit-routing stability.

Documentation intensity50/100

Watch closely. The amount of documentation and payer/compliance work that can shape the real workload.

Career upside82/100

Strong. Skill growth, specialization potential, portability, and longer-term career optionality.

Interview questions

Questions to ask before choosing this setting

The most important setting differences usually appear after the first salary number: productivity, documentation, support, caseload design, and local employer quality.

What specialties drive the caseload, and how are evaluations scheduled?

How are cancellations, no-shows, and documentation time handled?

What continuing education, certification, or mentorship support is funded?

How much control do clinicians have over treatment time, scheduling, and equipment?

Keep comparing

Other OT career setting profiles

Compare this setting with nearby alternatives before treating one rank or one wage number as the whole decision.

Rank #1