Salary
Average Salary: $73,000
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $3,047,604
We know you're TOTALLY not in it for the money. But hey, an OT has to eat. Salaries range from $50,500 to over $107,070. Therapists who work in nursing care facilities or provide health care in patient homes usually make the most, around the $80k range, while school OTs are on the lower end, at around $66k. Paychecks go up with time and experience.
But let's not forget those classy COTAs. That's short for Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, health care workers with an associate's degree in occupational therapy. COTAs pull down $33k to $73k. Same as with OTs, COTAs who work with the elderly make more Benjamins (and that’s on top of the quarter you always get from Mr. Johnson in room 224). Those who work with children or the mentally ill are towards the bottom of the pay spectrum. Hand therapists are around the middle, paycheck wise. In case you were wondering. (Ow, typing cramp!)