State market profile

Louisiana OT job market

Compare Louisiana 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 #36$92,940 mean wage2,060 OT jobs1.02 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Louisiana 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$92,940BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$98,490Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment2,060Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.06OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $92,940 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 median wage is above the mean, so the middle of the market looks comparatively strong rather than being driven mainly by high-end outliers.

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 Louisiana 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
Alexandria, LA Score 46.1	#94	$99,100	100	1.57 LQ; 1.64 per 1,000 jobs
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA Score 45.0	#109	$85,660	180	1.79 LQ; 1.87 per 1,000 jobs
Baton Rouge, LA Score 41.4	#153	$94,010	430	1.01 LQ; 1.06 per 1,000 jobs
Monroe, LA Score 40.6	#171	$89,800	130	1.44 LQ; 1.51 per 1,000 jobs
New Orleans-Metairie, LA Score 39.7	#190	$96,710	390	0.83 LQ; 0.87 per 1,000 jobs
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Score 37.3	#221	$87,550	120	1.32 LQ; 1.38 per 1,000 jobs
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA Score 35.8	#241	$94,840	150	0.90 LQ; 0.94 per 1,000 jobs
Hammond, LA Score 34.3	#258	$86,090	70	1.32 LQ; 1.37 per 1,000 jobs
Lafayette, LA Score 32.3	#285	$90,070	150	0.83 LQ; 0.86 per 1,000 jobs
Lake Charles, LA Score 25.2	#348	$86,580	70	0.68 LQ; 0.71 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Louisiana

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
Louisiana State University Health Shreveport Campus-based; next review 2031/2032	Shreveport, LA	OT Doctorate	100%
Bossier Parish Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2032/2033	Bossier City, LA	OTA Associate	100%
University of Louisiana at Monroe Format not listed; next review 2032/2033	Monroe, LA	OTA Baccalaureate	100%
Louisiana State University Health New Orleans 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030	New Orleans, LA	OT Masters	97%
University of Louisiana at Monroe 50-74% distance; next review 2032/2033	Monroe, LA	OT Masters	95%
Delgado Community College Campus-based; next review 2035/2036	New Orleans, LA	OTA Associate	85%

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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