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 #8$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. Raw BLS measures stay visible so readers can audit the ranking.

Mean wage$104,940BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$106,360Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment2,160Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.66OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Arkansas a strong OT market for your next move?

Use the state rank as a starting point, then validate the metro, setting, employer, and school context that will shape the actual decision.

Best for

OTs comparing an upper-tier state market with rank #8 in the current release.
Readers comparing a smaller statewide market where individual employers and commute radius matter more.
Readers who want metro-level comparisons instead of relying on one statewide wage number.

Watch closely

Statewide wage data does not adjust for rent, taxes, benefits, commute time, productivity model, or setting mix.
Large states can hide major metro-to-metro differences, so compare the linked city profiles before relocating.
A strong concentration signal still needs employer-level review before accepting an offer.

Ask before deciding

Which Arkansas metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $104,940 mean wage?
Which employers offer mentorship, manageable documentation, and a caseload mix that fits your goals?

Decision signals

What the state data means in practice

Statewide numbers are useful for screening, but the decision still depends on metros, employers, schools, and the specific setting you want.

Pay shape

The mean and median wage are close, which makes the published wage signal easier to interpret for typical OT roles.

Market depth

This is a thinner statewide employment base. Individual employers, local referral networks, and travel radius can matter more than the statewide rank.

Role concentration

The location quotient is above the national baseline, suggesting OT roles are more concentrated here than in the U.S. labor market overall.

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 source-backed 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.

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