Occupational Therapists: Survey Insights from the State of the Profession Guide

Here’s a snapshot from our 2024 State of the Therapies Guide: Insights from the Rehabilitation Professionals.

Occupational therapists help patients gain independence by practicing self-care skills. They often work with patients who need to regain their strength after surgery or major illness. Occupational therapists often work closely with physical therapists to ensure that patients are able to care for themselves and move around their homes safely. They may recommend and teach patients how to use assistive devices such as walkers or gross motor tools.

Download the 2024 State of the Rehabilitation Therapies Guide

Demographics

The OTs included in our survey come from a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, specialties, and years of experience. Most survey respondents (70.5%) are women. Only 8.9% are men, and 19.5% preferred not to disclose information about their gender.

Occupational therapists were between the ages of 25 and 74 years old, 12.5% (65) are 25-34 years old, 17.9% (93) are 35-44 years old, 26.4% (137) are 45-54 years old, 15.6% (81) are 55-64 years old, 7.1% (37) are 65-74 years old.

Most occupational therapists in the survey (64.7%) are White/Caucasian, while 5.4% are Black or African American, 3.8% are Hispanic, and 2.3% are Asian/Pacific Islander.

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, all occupational therapists must earn a degree, pass a licensure exam, and register with their state. While the requirements of each state vary, all occupational therapists must complete at least a Master’s Degree in occupational therapy.

Employment profile

Overall, most occupational therapists report feeling at least somewhat satisfied with their role across all levels of experience and work settings. 75% of therapists with 30-39 years of experience report feeling satisfied with their role. The highest levels of dissatisfaction were reported among occupational therapists with more than 40 years of experience. Of this group, 12% reported feeling extremely dissatisfied, and 18% reported feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

Satisfaction with the occupational therapy role may be related to feeling valued in the workplace. 57.71% of our survey respondents reported feeling valued in their workplace. Dissatisfaction seems to be related to poor staffing, with 50% of occupational therapists reporting feeling understaffed at work.

Burnout, concerns, and challenges to the profession

Burnout among occupational therapists is alarmingly high, especially among those working in home health. While 66% of occupational therapists in our survey reported feeling burnt out in the last 12-18 months, the percentage climbed to 77% for those working in home health. Even among those working less than forty hours per week, more than half report feeling burnt out.

Burnout may be among the reasons that 31% of respondents would not recommend new graduates join the occupational therapy profession.

Research shows that occupational therapists experience less burnout when they are given autonomy and are able to be creative and solve problems at work. When occupational therapists are given more time with each patient, they tend to feel less burnout and more job satisfaction.

Like other healthcare professions, staffing remains an issue for occupational therapists. 50% of our survey respondents feel that their workplace is not efficiently staffed.

Low reimbursement rates and difficulties with billing and coding were some of the most common complaints of occupational therapists. Billing and coding, especially for CMS, often changes and it can be a challenge to keep up with the most recent information. Failure to bill correctly can result in major problems for the patient, the therapist, and the company they represent.

Other specific problems pointed out by our survey respondents included high caseloads, low pay, too many educational requirements, and lack of resources to complete required work. 48% of occupational therapists reported feeling somewhat concerned about the state of the profession, and 25% reported feeling extremely concerned. Only 2% reported feeling extremely unconcerned.

Salary guide

Our occupational therapy survey respondents reported earning between $60,000 and $84,000 per year. About half of our respondents across all experience levels reported receiving a pay raise in the last 12 months.

The BLS reports that the average salary for an occupational therapist in the United States is $96,370 per year. The BLS also reports that occupational therapists working in home health are typically paid the most, while those working in schools are paid the least.

Salary satisfaction rates vary among occupational therapists. Of those with less than 1 year of experience, 67% report feeling somewhat satisfied with their salary. For those with more than 40 years of experience, 17% report feeling somewhat satisfied with their salary and 33% report feeling extremely satisfied with their salary.

The pay for occupational therapists is comparable to other healthcare careers requiring a master's degree. In 2023, the median annual wage for a Master 's-prepared diagnosing and treating physician was $98,760, just $2,400 more than the average pay for an occupational therapist.