State market profile

California OT job market

Compare California 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 #1$121,920 mean wage13,810 OT jobs0.73 location quotient

Market snapshot

How California 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$121,920BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$124,510Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment13,810Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density0.76OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is California 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 #1 in the current release.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 13,810 estimated OT jobs.
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.
The OT concentration signal is below the national baseline; confirm local role availability in your setting.

Ask before deciding

Which California metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $121,920 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 deep statewide OT market. More roles usually means more employer choice, but commute patterns and setting mix still matter.

Role concentration

The location quotient is below the national baseline, so readers should verify local role availability before relying on statewide wage strength.

Metro markets

Best California 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
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Score 62.5	#6	$136,250	1,560	0.63 LQ; 0.66 per 1,000 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Score 61.8	#9	$137,450	840	0.71 LQ; 0.74 per 1,000 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Score 60.3	#14	$118,500	4,950	0.76 LQ; 0.79 per 1,000 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Score 59.8	#17	$119,390	1,620	1.01 LQ; 1.06 per 1,000 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Score 54.7	#33	$123,560	810	0.72 LQ; 0.75 per 1,000 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Score 54.0	#36	$131,980	100	0.98 LQ; 1.02 per 1,000 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Score 52.0	#45	$118,480	1,110	0.62 LQ; 0.65 per 1,000 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Score 50.8	#56	$119,040	300	0.89 LQ; 0.93 per 1,000 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA Score 49.3	#71	$122,080	230	0.76 LQ; 0.80 per 1,000 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Score 49.0	#73	$122,310	170	0.82 LQ; 0.85 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in California

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
Keck Graduate Institute Format not listed; next review 2031/2032	Claremont, CA	OT Doctorate	100%
Loma Linda University Health 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Loma Linda, CA	OT Doctorate	100%
Southern California University of Health Sciences 75-100% distance; next review 2031/2032	Whittier, CA	OT Doctorate	100%
University of Southern California 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Los Angeles, CA	OT Doctorate	100%
Clovis Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2028/2029	Fresno, CA	OTA Associate	100%
California State University, Dominguez Hills Campus-based; next review 2032/2033	Carson, CA	OT Masters	98%

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 #2