State market profile

Florida OT job market

Compare Florida 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 #11$95,620 mean wage10,650 OT jobs1.03 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Florida 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$95,620BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$99,360Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment10,650Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.07OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Florida 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 who want a source-backed read on Florida before narrowing to specific metros and employers.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 10,650 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 Florida metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $95,620 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 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 concentration signal is near the national baseline, so wage and employer quality may matter more than raw occupational density.

Metro markets

Best Florida 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
Homosassa Springs, FL Score 61.4	#11	$100,530	100	2.56 LQ; 2.67 per 1,000 jobs
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL Score 60.6	#13	$96,990	730	2.06 LQ; 2.16 per 1,000 jobs
Gainesville, FL Score 56.0	#27	$92,920	340	2.11 LQ; 2.21 per 1,000 jobs
Port St. Lucie, FL Score 54.6	#34	$91,000	370	2.05 LQ; 2.15 per 1,000 jobs
Sebring, FL Score 49.5	#68	$94,980	60	2.09 LQ; 2.18 per 1,000 jobs
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Score 49.4	#69	$96,110	1,660	1.10 LQ; 1.15 per 1,000 jobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Score 47.5	#83	$95,530	2,550	0.87 LQ; 0.91 per 1,000 jobs
Jacksonville, FL Score 46.7	#90	$95,450	890	1.12 LQ; 1.17 per 1,000 jobs
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Score 45.0	#108	$99,470	1,160	0.79 LQ; 0.82 per 1,000 jobs
Wildwood-The Villages, FL Score 43.3	#128	$88,590	80	1.81 LQ; 1.89 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Florida

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
AdventHealth University 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030	Orlando, FL	OT Masters	100%
Florida Gulf Coast University Campus-based; next review 2026/2027	Fort Myers, FL	OT Masters	100%
Keiser University-Daytona Beach Campus-based; next review 2030/2031	Daytona Beach, FL	OTA Associate	100%
Keiser University-Jacksonville Campus-based; next review 2033/2034	Jacksonville, FL	OTA Associate	100%
University of Florida 1-24% distance; next review 2027/2028	Gainesville, FL	OT Doctorate	98%
Florida International University Campus-based; next review 2028/2029	Miami, FL	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.

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