State market profile

Mississippi OT job market

Compare Mississippi 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 #35$93,430 mean wage1,340 OT jobs1.10 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Mississippi 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$93,430BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$94,930Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment1,340Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.15OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $93,430 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 Mississippi 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
Jackson, MS Score 47.7	#81	$94,930	400	1.43 LQ; 1.49 per 1,000 jobs
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS Score 41.5	#151	$94,430	200	1.22 LQ; 1.27 per 1,000 jobs
Hattiesburg, MS Score 34.2	#259	$87,090	80	1.24 LQ; 1.29 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Mississippi

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
University of Mississippi Medical Center Campus-based; next review 2027/2028	Jackson, MS	OT Doctorate	100%
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2028/2029	Perkinston, MS	OTA Associate	89%
Holmes Community College, Ridgeland Campus Campus-based; next review 2031/2032	Ridgeland, MS	OTA Associate	80%
Itawamba Community College, Tupelo Campus Campus-based; next review 2029/2030	Tupelo, MS	OTA Associate	80%
Pearl River Community College Campus-based; next review 2032/2033	Hattiesburg, MS	OTA Associate	75%
William Carey University Format not listed; next review 2026/2027	Hattiesburg, MS	OT Masters	NBCOT outcome unavailable

Compare states

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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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