State market profile

Illinois OT job market

Compare Illinois 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 #9$99,570 mean wage7,710 OT jobs1.21 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Illinois 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$99,570BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$99,700Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment7,710Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.26OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Illinois 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 #9 in the current release.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 7,710 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 Illinois metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $99,570 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 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 Illinois 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
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Score 59.8	#16	$101,400	5,960	1.26 LQ; 1.32 per 1,000 jobs
Peoria, IL Score 40.2	#180	$95,490	190	1.11 LQ; 1.16 per 1,000 jobs
Springfield, IL Score 38.1	#207	$102,250	100	0.92 LQ; 0.96 per 1,000 jobs
Rockford, IL Score 35.4	#247	$95,530	130	0.89 LQ; 0.93 per 1,000 jobs
Champaign-Urbana, IL Score 33.4	#269	$87,710	120	1.05 LQ; 1.10 per 1,000 jobs
Bloomington, IL Score 30.7	#302	$90,070	80	0.90 LQ; 0.94 per 1,000 jobs
Kankakee, IL Score 26.5	#339	$87,200	40	0.91 LQ; 0.95 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Illinois

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
Rush University 1-24% distance; next review 2026/2027	Chicago, IL	OT Doctorate	100%
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Format not listed; next review 2031/2032	Carbondale, IL	OT Doctorate	100%
Lewis University-Romeoville Campus-based; next review 2027/2028	Romeoville, IL	OT Masters	100%
Fox College Campus-based; next review 2033/2034	Tinley Park, IL	OTA Associate	93%
Chicago State University 1-24% distance; next review 2032/2033	Chicago, IL	OT Masters	92%
McHenry County College 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Crystal Lake, IL	OTA Associate	92%

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