State market profile

North Dakota OT job market

Compare North Dakota 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 #43$87,670 mean wage570 OT jobs1.26 location quotient

Market snapshot

How North Dakota 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$87,670BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$83,200Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment570Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.32OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is North Dakota 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 Dakota 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 North Dakota metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $87,670 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 wage is meaningfully above the median, which can signal higher-end pay opportunities but also a wider spread across roles and employers.

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 location quotient is above the national baseline, suggesting OT roles are more concentrated here than in the U.S. labor market overall.

Metro markets

Best North Dakota 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
Bismarck, ND Score 43.6	#122	$86,570	130	1.76 LQ; 1.83 per 1,000 jobs
Fargo, ND-MN Score 39.2	#195	$86,170	210	1.34 LQ; 1.40 per 1,000 jobs
Grand Forks, ND-MN Score 32.3	#282	$87,200	60	1.19 LQ; 1.24 per 1,000 jobs
Minot, ND Score 23.8	#352	$82,990	30	0.95 LQ; 0.99 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in North Dakota

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 North Dakota 1-24% distance; next review 2028/2029	Grand Forks, ND	OT Doctorate	96%
North Dakota State College of Science 1-24% distance; next review 2030/2031	Wahpeton, ND	OTA Associate	91%
University of Mary-Bismarck 50-74% distance; next review 2027/2028	Bismarck, ND	OT Doctorate	NBCOT outcome unavailable
University of Mary Format not listed; next review 2032/2033	Bismarck, ND	OT Masters	NBCOT outcome unavailable

Compare states

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