State market profile
Arkansas OT job market
Compare Arkansas using BLS occupational therapist wage, employment, density, and concentration data from the May 2025 OEWS release, then review metro, school, and employer context.
State rank #5$104,940 mean wage2,160 OT jobs1.59 location quotient
Market snapshot
How Arkansas compares for occupational therapists
The state score balances pay, role depth, role density, and occupational concentration. BLS wage and job-market measures stay visible so readers can understand the rank.
Our take
Arkansas OT market assessment
Why it stands out
- Arkansas is one of the five highest-ranked OT job markets in this edition, based on pay, number of jobs, jobs per 1,000 workers, and the state's concentration of OT employment.
- The 1.59 location quotient is well above the national baseline, so OT roles have an unusually strong presence in the state's labor market.
- The mean and median wage are close, so the published average is reasonably representative of a typical OT job in the state.
Tradeoffs that matter
- BLS estimates 2,160 OT jobs statewide. That thinner base reduces leverage when changing employers or searching for a narrow specialty.
- Mean pay varies by $18,060 across the listed metros. The statewide rank hides a material location decision within the state.
What to compare next
- Compare the highest- and lowest-paying Arkansas metros before using the statewide $106,360 median in an offer decision.
- Put Arkansas beside New Jersey on job count and OT concentration; nearby ranks can be built from very different kinds of opportunity.
- Compare settings separately inside the state. A strong hospital market does not automatically mean equally strong school, outpatient, or home-health options.
How to read the numbers
What the state data means in practice
Statewide averages are a useful first comparison, but your decision still depends on the metro area, employer, clinical setting, and cost of living.
Pay shape
The mean and median wage are close, so the published average is reasonably representative of a typical OT job in the state.
Market depth
BLS estimates 2,160 OT jobs statewide. That thinner base makes individual employers, local referral networks, and travel radius unusually important.
Role concentration
The 1.59 location quotient is well above the national baseline, so OT roles have an unusually strong presence in the state's labor market.
Metro markets
Best Arkansas metro markets for OTs
Metro rows help separate statewide strength from the cities where jobs, wages, and OT concentration are actually concentrated.
| Metro | Rank | Mean wage | Employment | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Score 63.6 | #3 | $103,360 | 760 | 2.04 LQ; 2.13 per 1,000 jobs |
| Jonesboro, AR Score 60.7 | #12 | $108,210 | 140 | 2.15 LQ; 2.25 per 1,000 jobs |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Score 58.9 | #21 | $112,010 | 450 | 1.57 LQ; 1.64 per 1,000 jobs |
| Hot Springs, AR Score 55.1 | #31 | $93,950 | 100 | 2.36 LQ; 2.47 per 1,000 jobs |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK Score 42.6 | #134 | $95,540 | 140 | 1.36 LQ; 1.42 per 1,000 jobs |
Programs
OT and OTA programs in Arkansas
Program supply matters for applicants, fieldwork access, and local clinical networks. These rows point to school profiles where available.
| Program | Location | Degree | NBCOT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Colleges of Health Education 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032 | Fort Smith, AR | OT Doctorate | 100% |
| University of Arkansas-Fayetteville/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Campus-based; next review 2028/2029 | Fayetteville, AR | OT Doctorate | 100% |
| Arkansas State University-Jonesboro Campus-based; next review 2030/2031 | Jonesboro, AR | OTA Associate | 100% |
| University of Central Arkansas 1-24% distance; next review 2026/2027 | Conway, AR | OT Doctorate | 98% |
| Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032 | Ozark, AR | OTA Associate | 88% |
| Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas (UA Cossatot) 1-24% distance; next review 2028/2029 | Ashdown, AR | OTA Associate | 88% |
Compare states
Other strong OT state markets
Use peer states to check whether a relocation, school decision, or salary negotiation is anchored in the right labor-market comparison.
Rank #1
New Jersey
$110,150 mean wage; 6,290 OT jobs; 1.41 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #2California
$121,920 mean wage; 13,810 OT jobs; 0.73 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #3Massachusetts
$99,730 mean wage; 6,510 OT jobs; 1.71 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #4Connecticut
$102,140 mean wage; 3,150 OT jobs; 1.77 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #6Colorado
$111,620 mean wage; 3,390 OT jobs; 1.13 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #7Texas
$107,630 mean wage; 13,400 OT jobs; 0.91 location quotient.
Open state profile
Arkansas deserves serious consideration as a top-5 OT market. This is a smaller but OT-heavy market, so the profession has a meaningful local presence even without a huge number of jobs. The $106,360 median is the better anchor for a typical offer than the higher or lower mean. Because the page includes 5 metros, the statewide result should be used to choose a region, not to value a specific offer.