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 #6$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. BLS wage and job-market measures stay visible so readers can understand the rank.
Our take
Colorado OT market assessment
Why it stands out
- Colorado ranks in the upper tier of published state markets. The state is competitive, but readers should still compare metro-level wages and local employer mix.
- BLS estimates 3,390 OT jobs statewide. That is enough depth to create real employer choice, though the strongest options may still cluster in a few metros.
- The 1.13 location quotient puts OT employment near the national concentration, so pay and employer quality matter more than occupational density alone.
Tradeoffs that matter
- The mean wage is $111,620, but the median is $106,720. That gap suggests high earners lift the average, so a typical offer may land closer to the median.
- Mean pay varies by $13,480 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 Colorado metros before using the statewide $106,720 median in an offer decision.
- Put Colorado 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 wage is noticeably higher than the median. A smaller group of high-paying jobs may be pulling up the average, so the median is the safer number for a typical offer.
Market depth
BLS estimates 3,390 OT jobs statewide. That is enough depth to create real employer choice, though the strongest options may still cluster in a few metros.
Role concentration
The 1.13 location quotient puts OT employment near the national concentration, so pay and employer quality matter more than occupational density alone.
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 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 | NBCOT outcome unavailable |
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 #5Arkansas
$104,940 mean wage; 2,160 OT jobs; 1.59 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #7Texas
$107,630 mean wage; 13,400 OT jobs; 0.91 location quotient.
Open state profile
Colorado deserves serious consideration as a top-6 OT market. This is a selective market rather than an easy one: both the job base and OT concentration make the exact metro and employer unusually important. The $106,720 median is the better anchor for a typical offer than the higher or lower mean. Because the page includes 6 metros, the statewide result should be used to choose a region, not to value a specific offer.