State market profile

Minnesota OT job market

Compare Minnesota 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 #27$91,450 mean wage3,670 OT jobs1.19 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Minnesota 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$91,450BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$93,050Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment3,670Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.25OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Minnesota 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 Minnesota before narrowing to specific metros and employers.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 3,670 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 city profiles before relocating.
A strong concentration signal still needs employer-level review before accepting an offer.

Ask before deciding

Which Minnesota metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $91,450 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 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 Minnesota 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
Rochester, MN Score 57.6	#23	$91,300	300	2.31 LQ; 2.41 per 1,000 jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Score 51.7	#46	$92,080	2,590	1.27 LQ; 1.32 per 1,000 jobs
Duluth, MN-WI Score 35.4	#245	$86,730	150	1.16 LQ; 1.21 per 1,000 jobs
St. Cloud, MN Score 35.1	#250	$92,750	110	1.02 LQ; 1.06 per 1,000 jobs
Mankato, MN Score 27.3	#335	$90,440	50	0.79 LQ; 0.83 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Minnesota

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
St. Catherine University 25-49% distance; next review 2027/2028	St. Paul, MN	OT Doctorate	100%
College of St. Scholastica 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Duluth, MN	OT Masters	100%
St. Catherine University 1-24% distance; next review 2032/2033	St. Paul, MN	OT Masters	100%
St. Catherine University Format not listed; next review 2027/2028	St. Paul, MN	OT Masters	100%
Anoka Technical College 50-74% distance; next review 2031/2032	Anoka, MN	OTA Associate	100%
University of Minnesota 75-100% distance; next review 2028/2029	Minneapolis, MN	OT Doctorate	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.

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