State market profile

Kentucky OT job market

Compare Kentucky 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 #31$95,450 mean wage2,190 OT jobs1.05 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Kentucky 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$95,450BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$97,650Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment2,190Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.09OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Kentucky 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 Kentucky before narrowing to specific metros and employers.
Readers comparing a smaller statewide market where individual employers and commute radius matter more.
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 city profiles before relocating.
A strong concentration signal still needs employer-level review before accepting an offer.

Ask before deciding

Which Kentucky metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $95,450 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 thinner statewide employment base. Individual employers, local referral networks, and travel radius can matter more than the statewide rank.

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 Kentucky 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
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Score 46.0	#98	$99,670	710	0.99 LQ; 1.03 per 1,000 jobs
Bowling Green, KY Score 42.7	#132	$88,910	140	1.59 LQ; 1.67 per 1,000 jobs
Lexington-Fayette, KY Score 40.7	#165	$93,310	320	1.07 LQ; 1.12 per 1,000 jobs
Owensboro, KY Score 34.1	#261	$90,960	60	1.18 LQ; 1.24 per 1,000 jobs
Paducah, KY-IL Score 31.1	#301	$92,530	50	0.98 LQ; 1.02 per 1,000 jobs
Elizabethtown, KY Score 29.0	#319	$97,900	40	0.71 LQ; 0.74 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Kentucky

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
Northern Kentucky University 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Highland Heights, KY	OT Doctorate	100%
Murray State University-Paducah Regional Campus 1-24% distance; next review 2034/2035	Paducah, KY	OT Masters	100%
Eastern Kentucky University 1-24% distance; next review 2030/2031	Richmond, KY	OT Doctorate	97%
Jefferson Community and Technical College 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030	Louisville, KY	OTA Associate	94%
Madisonville Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2027/2028	Madisonville, KY	OTA Associate	80%
Ross College in Hopkinsville Campus-based; next review 2030/2031	Hopkinsville, KY	OTA Associate	78%

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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