State market profile

North Carolina OT job market

Compare North Carolina 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 #39$91,360 mean wage4,490 OT jobs0.87 location quotient

Market snapshot

How North Carolina 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$91,360BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$92,940Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment4,490Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density0.91OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is North Carolina 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 North Carolina before narrowing to specific metros and employers.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 4,490 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.
The OT concentration signal is below the national baseline; confirm local role availability in your setting.

Ask before deciding

Which North Carolina metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $91,360 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 location quotient is below the national baseline, so readers should verify local role availability before relying on statewide wage strength.

Metro markets

Best North Carolina 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
Greenville, NC Score 45.1	#105	$97,010	130	1.50 LQ; 1.57 per 1,000 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Score 43.4	#125	$95,960	1,140	0.80 LQ; 0.84 per 1,000 jobs
Wilmington, NC Score 41.6	#150	$89,390	260	1.33 LQ; 1.38 per 1,000 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Score 40.0	#183	$90,030	390	1.08 LQ; 1.13 per 1,000 jobs
Fayetteville, NC Score 39.9	#184	$83,820	200	1.48 LQ; 1.55 per 1,000 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC Score 39.6	#192	$90,850	680	0.87 LQ; 0.91 per 1,000 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC Score 37.0	#226	$92,460	260	0.91 LQ; 0.95 per 1,000 jobs
Asheville, NC Score 35.8	#240	$86,560	210	1.09 LQ; 1.14 per 1,000 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC Score 33.9	#263	$91,600	270	0.72 LQ; 0.75 per 1,000 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Score 33.3	#274	$96,180	120	0.75 LQ; 0.78 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in North Carolina

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
East Carolina University Campus-based; next review 2034/2035	Greenville, NC	OT Masters	100%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1-24% distance; next review 2030/2031	Chapel Hill, NC	OT Masters	100%
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences 1-24% distance; next review 2028/2029	Concord, NC	OTA Associate	100%
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Format not listed; next review 2029/2030	Concord, NC	OTA Baccalaureate	100%
Cape Fear Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2034/2035	Wilmington, NC	OTA Associate	100%
Central Piedmont Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Charlotte, NC	OTA Associate	100%

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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