OT Jobs in the United States

OT Jobs Overview

Everyone working in occupational therapy (OT) is a healthcare luminary—inspiring hope and fostering recovery, as they harness the therapeutic use of everyday activities to help people with various conditions. OT jobs may involve anything from injury rehabilitation and home modifications for greater mobility to auxiliary treatments for cerebral palsy (e.g., improving posture and muscle-coordination issues) and arthritis (e.g., joint-stretching).

All around, the OT field is growing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of occupational therapists is expected to swell at a rate of 17 percent over the next decade, which roughly translates to 10,100 job openings each year during this period. Additionally, positions for occupational therapy assistants and aides are predicted to bloom at a sweeping 34 percent. Both of those percentages are much faster than the average for the full breadth of jobs in all industries.

If you want to expand your scope, browse through all of our healthcare jobs. Or check out these options:

• exercise physiologist jobs
• kinesiology jobs
• speech pathologist jobs

OT Education and Skills

If you want to become an occupational therapist, you’ll need to pursue a master’s degree and get licensed as well. As an undergrad, majoring in one of the sciences (e.g., biology or physiology) might make the most sense. Then, opt for a graduate program that’s accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). You’ll have to fulfill several weeks of supervised clinical fieldwork too.

After completing your degree, you’ll need to get your state license, which requires that you pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. You’ll then be able to claim the title of “Occupational Therapist, Registered” (OTR), although you’ll have to maintain this certification with continuing-education classes as your career progresses.

If you’re rather aiming to become an occupational therapy assistant, you’ll still need an associate degree from a school accredited by the ACOTE/AOTA. Then, check with your state’s regulations for further requirements. To become of an occupational therapy aide, you’ll only need a high school diploma (or the equivalent) and on-the-job training.

Plus, for any OT jobs—these skills will be beneficial:

• empathy and a keen sense of understanding
• communication and people skills
• adaptability and endurance
• physical strength

Learn more by reviewing Monster’s templates for an occupational therapist job ad, an occupational therapy assistant job ad, and an occupational therapy aide job ad.

Update Your OT Resume

Open your resume with an enticing OT career summary. Even if you don’t have much experience, you can still provide some background here, while interspersing the text with occupational therapy keywords for OT jobs, which will help your resume get past any HR screening software. If you’re at an intermediate or senior career level, make sure to provide examples of your accomplishments, as shown in our occupational therapy resume sample.

Want to be even more competitive? The OT field can get crowded, as demand for OT workers will keep increasing. So boost your chances of getting noticed by telling your story—and sharing your keen interest in the position you’re applying to—with a persuasive cover letter.

Interviewing for a Job in OT

If you’re worried about job interviews, don’t be—we have all the guidance you need to succeed, including pre-interview preparation tips. Importantly, if you have some experience, plan on discussing any positive outcomes you’ve had with patients, along with creative or novel approaches. Employers will want to see that you’ve taken initiative—and that you have a genuine enthusiasm for the OT field.

Meanwhile, internalize these 10 rock-solid job-interview pointers, and you’ll be good to go.

How Much Do OT Jobs Pay?

Numerous elements can contribute to what you get paid in the OT industry, but it’s mostly about your job title and the amount of experience you have. For instance, the median salary for an occupational therapist is $38.36 per hour, while it’s $25.72 for an occupational therapy assistant and $13.73 for an occupational therapy aide.

Location matters too. So hit up our Salary Tools site and type in your city (or the city you’re moving to) for customized salary data.

Want to Learn More About a Company You’re Interested In?

Many people in the OT field work in hospitals, while others spend most of their working hours with patients at smaller medical practices, schools, nursing-care facilities, and home healthcare services. So glean some intel about the organization you might be joining before you apply through Monster’s series of company profiles, where we have:

• mission statements and number of employees
• photos, videos, and website/social media links
• up-to-date job postings

Help Others Reach Their Potential With These Top-Notch OT Jobs

Sudden life changes, unfortunate circumstances, challenging predispositions—these are all part of our human condition, but you’re there to make things better and improve lives. So let us be there for you too. All you need to do is create a quick profile on Monster, which is totally free. And as you apply to our listings, we’ll ensure your resume is also seen by the best recruiters in the OT industry.