State market profile

Rhode Island OT job market

Compare Rhode Island 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 #17$99,380 mean wage770 OT jobs1.47 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Rhode Island 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$99,380BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$100,040Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment770Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density1.53OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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 the linked city profiles before relocating.
A strong concentration signal still needs employer-level review before accepting an offer.

Ask before deciding

Which Rhode Island metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $99,380 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 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 Rhode Island 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
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Score 54.9	#32	$97,790	1,130	1.52 LQ; 1.59 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Rhode Island

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
Johnson & Wales University-Providence 1-24% distance; next review 2028/2029	Providence, RI	OT Doctorate	100%
New England Institute of Technology 50-74% distance; next review 2028/2029	East Greenwich, RI	OT Masters	85%
New England Institute of Technology 1-24% distance; next review 2035/2036	East Greenwich, RI	OTA Associate	80%
Community College of Rhode Island Campus-based; next review 2033/2034	Newport, RI	OTA Associate	78%

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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