State market profile

Colorado OT job market

Compare Colorado 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 #7$111,620 mean wage3,390 OT jobs1.13 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Colorado 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$111,620BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$106,720Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment3,390Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.18OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Colorado 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 #7 in the current release.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 3,390 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.
A strong concentration signal still needs employer-level review before accepting an offer.

Ask before deciding

Which Colorado metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $111,620 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 wage is meaningfully above the median, which can signal higher-end pay opportunities but also a wider spread across roles and employers.

Market depth

This is a meaningful statewide employment base. Applicants and clinicians should compare the strongest metros rather than treating the state as one uniform market.

Role concentration

The concentration signal is near the national baseline, so wage and employer quality may matter more than raw occupational density.

Metro markets

Best Colorado 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
Colorado Springs, CO Score 59.6	#18	$111,980	520	1.58 LQ; 1.65 per 1,000 jobs
Boulder, CO Score 58.5	#22	$123,360	260	1.31 LQ; 1.37 per 1,000 jobs
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Score 57.5	#24	$110,720	1,870	1.11 LQ; 1.16 per 1,000 jobs
Grand Junction, CO Score 51.2	#50	$109,880	110	1.52 LQ; 1.59 per 1,000 jobs
Greeley, CO Score 48.3	#77	$120,290	120	0.94 LQ; 0.99 per 1,000 jobs
Pueblo, CO Score 41.2	#160	$112,630	60	0.92 LQ; 0.96 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Colorado

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
Colorado Mesa University Campus-based; next review 2029/2030	Grand Junction, CO	OT Masters	100%
Colorado State University 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Fort Collins, CO	OT Doctorate	98%
Pima Medical Institute-Denver Campus-based; next review 2027/2028	Denver, CO	OTA Associate	93%
Pueblo Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2030/2031	Pueblo, CO	OTA Associate	82%
Augustana University-Denver Format not listed; next review 2028/2029	Denver, CO	OT Doctorate	Outcome not linked

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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