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 #2$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. Raw BLS measures stay visible so readers can audit the ranking.

Mean wage$107,630BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$106,140Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment13,400Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density0.95OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Texas 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 comparing an upper-tier state market with rank #2 in the current release.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 13,400 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 the linked city profiles before relocating.
A strong concentration signal still needs employer-level review before accepting an offer.

Ask before deciding

Which Texas metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $107,630 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 deep statewide OT market. More roles usually means more employer choice, but commute patterns and setting mix still matter.

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 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 source-backed 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 Texas Medical Branch - Laredo Campus Format not listed; next review 2027/2028	Laredo, 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%

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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