State market profile
Texas OT job market
Compare Texas 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 #7$107,630 mean wage13,400 OT jobs0.91 location quotient
Market snapshot
How Texas compares for occupational therapists
The state score balances pay, role depth, role density, and occupational concentration. BLS wage and job-market measures stay visible so readers can understand the rank.
Our take
Texas OT market assessment
Why it stands out
- Texas ranks in the upper tier of published state markets. The state is competitive, but readers should still compare metro-level wages and local employer mix.
- BLS estimates 13,400 OT jobs statewide. That is a deep employment base with substantially more room to change employers or settings than a small market offers.
- The 0.91 location quotient puts OT employment near the national concentration, so pay and employer quality matter more than occupational density alone.
Tradeoffs that matter
- Mean pay varies by $13,240 across the listed metros. The statewide rank hides a material location decision within the state.
What to compare next
- Compare the highest- and lowest-paying Texas metros before using the statewide $106,140 median in an offer decision.
- Put Texas beside New Jersey on job count and OT concentration; nearby ranks can be built from very different kinds of opportunity.
- Compare settings separately inside the state. A strong hospital market does not automatically mean equally strong school, outpatient, or home-health options.
How to read the numbers
What the state data means in practice
Statewide averages are a useful first comparison, but your decision still depends on the metro area, employer, clinical setting, and cost of living.
Pay shape
The mean and median wage are close, so the published average is reasonably representative of a typical OT job in the state.
Market depth
BLS estimates 13,400 OT jobs statewide. That is a deep employment base with substantially more room to change employers or settings than a small market offers.
Role concentration
The 0.91 location quotient puts OT employment near the national concentration, so pay and employer quality matter more than occupational density alone.
Metro markets
Best Texas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Score 63.4 | #4 | $111,140 | 1,780 | 1.51 LQ; 1.58 per 1,000 jobs |
| Victoria, TX Score 61.7 | #10 | $102,120 | 100 | 2.53 LQ; 2.64 per 1,000 jobs |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX Score 59.2 | #19 | $113,410 | 1,600 | 1.18 LQ; 1.24 per 1,000 jobs |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Score 54.5 | #35 | $108,380 | 3,450 | 0.82 LQ; 0.85 per 1,000 jobs |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Score 52.4 | #41 | $107,080 | 2,700 | 0.79 LQ; 0.82 per 1,000 jobs |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Score 46.4 | #93 | $103,410 | 340 | 1.09 LQ; 1.14 per 1,000 jobs |
| Tyler, TX Score 45.7 | #99 | $102,620 | 160 | 1.29 LQ; 1.35 per 1,000 jobs |
| Killeen-Temple, TX Score 45.4 | #101 | $100,170 | 200 | 1.29 LQ; 1.35 per 1,000 jobs |
| Longview, TX Score 45.2 | #102 | $109,080 | 130 | 1.09 LQ; 1.14 per 1,000 jobs |
| Abilene, TX Score 43.8 | #119 | $106,430 | 90 | 1.19 LQ; 1.25 per 1,000 jobs |
Programs
OT and OTA programs in Texas
Program supply matters for applicants, fieldwork access, and local clinical networks. These rows point to school profiles where available.
| Program | Location | Degree | NBCOT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030 | Lubbock, TX | OT Doctorate | 100% |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center Campus-based; next review 2025/2026 | San Antonio, TX | OT Doctorate | 100% |
| University of Texas at El Paso 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032 | El Paso, TX | OT Doctorate | 100% |
| University of Texas Medical Branch 1-24% distance; next review 2027/2028 | Galveston, TX | OT Doctorate | 100% |
| University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences-Dallas Campus 50-74% distance; next review 2031/2032 | Irving, TX | OT Masters | 100% |
| Austin Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030 | Austin, TX | 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.
Rank #1
New Jersey
$110,150 mean wage; 6,290 OT jobs; 1.41 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #2California
$121,920 mean wage; 13,810 OT jobs; 0.73 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #3Massachusetts
$99,730 mean wage; 6,510 OT jobs; 1.71 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #4Connecticut
$102,140 mean wage; 3,150 OT jobs; 1.77 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #5Arkansas
$104,940 mean wage; 2,160 OT jobs; 1.59 location quotient.
Open state profile Rank #6Colorado
$111,620 mean wage; 3,390 OT jobs; 1.13 location quotient.
Open state profile
Texas deserves serious consideration as a top-7 OT market. The appeal comes mainly from market depth; OT is not unusually concentrated here, but the size of the state still creates employer choice. The $106,140 median is the better anchor for a typical offer than the higher or lower mean. Because the page includes 10 metros, the statewide result should be used to choose a region, not to value a specific offer.