State market profile

Washington OT job market

Compare Washington 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 #10$110,100 mean wage3,340 OT jobs0.90 location quotient

Market snapshot

How Washington 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$110,100BLS OEWS mean annual wage for occupational therapists.

Median wage$107,670Middle wage estimate for statewide OT roles.

Employment3,340Estimated occupational therapist jobs statewide.

Density0.94OT jobs per 1,000 statewide jobs.

Decision snapshot

Is Washington 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 #10 in the current release.
Clinicians who want a meaningful statewide employment base with 3,340 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 Washington metros have enough openings in the setting you actually want?
How do rent, commute, taxes, and benefits change the value of a $110,100 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 concentration signal is near the national baseline, so wage and employer quality may matter more than raw occupational density.

Metro markets

Best Washington 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
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Score 56.4	#26	$113,270	2,020	0.93 LQ; 0.97 per 1,000 jobs
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Score 46.6	#91	$100,980	320	1.21 LQ; 1.26 per 1,000 jobs
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA Score 42.2	#143	$108,570	100	0.98 LQ; 1.03 per 1,000 jobs
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Score 41.4	#155	$107,830	120	0.90 LQ; 0.94 per 1,000 jobs
Bellingham, WA Score 41.2	#159	$105,090	100	1.03 LQ; 1.08 per 1,000 jobs
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA Score 37.5	#215	$101,500	60	1.05 LQ; 1.10 per 1,000 jobs
Kennewick-Richland, WA Score 36.9	#228	$104,760	100	0.75 LQ; 0.79 per 1,000 jobs
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA Score 35.4	#246	$102,630	50	0.92 LQ; 0.96 per 1,000 jobs
Yakima, WA Score 29.1	#318	$106,410	40	0.43 LQ; 0.45 per 1,000 jobs

Programs

OT and OTA programs in Washington

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 Puget Sound 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030	Tacoma, WA	OT Doctorate	100%
Whitworth University Format not listed; next review 2031/2032	Spokane, WA	OT Doctorate	100%
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Yakima, WA	OT Masters	100%
Lake Washington Institute of Technology 1-24% distance; next review 2025/2026	Kirkland, WA	OTA Associate	100%
Spokane Falls Community College 1-24% distance; next review 2029/2030	Spokane, WA	OTA Associate	100%
University of Washington 1-24% distance; next review 2031/2032	Seattle, WA	OT Masters	96%

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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