In a September commentary we examined Occupational Therapist Pay in the Top 20 Metro Markets. Without question, the highest population U.S. metro areas provide occupational therapists with a greater number of employment opportunities than do smaller metropolitan markets. That said, the better compensation levels are typically found in smaller markets. In fact, May 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that only two of the 20 largest metro markets in the nation were among the 20 best metro areas for occupational therapist pay:
20 Best Metro Areas for Occupational Therapist Pay
| Metropolitan Area | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 550 | $121,190 | ||
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (#) | 1,530 | $113,210 | ||
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | 90 | $113,190 | ||
| 4 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 80 | $111,680 | ||
| 5 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 670 | $110,640 | ||
| 6 | Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade | 640 | $108,770 | ||
| 7 | Salinas, CA | 90 | $108,590 | ||
| 8 | North Coast, CA, non-metro | 40 | $108,170 | ||
| 9 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 110 | $107,870 | ||
| 10 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | 120 | $107,020 | ||
| 11 | Bakersfield, CA | 100 | $107,000 | ||
| 12 | Napa, CA | 40 | $106,340 | ||
| 13 | North Valley Region, CA, non-metro | 40 | $105,810 | ||
| 14 | Reno, NV | 130 | $105,510 | ||
| 15 | Yuba City, CA | 30 | $105,310 | ||
| 16 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (#) | 4,550 | $105,150 | ||
| 17 | Modesto, CA | 140 | $105,070 | ||
| 18 | Santa Fe, NM | 40 | $104,430 | ||
| 19 | Trenton, NJ | 190 | $104,010 | ||
| 20 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 250 | $103,850 | ||
| National | 127,830 | $89,470 | |||
(#) a top 20 U.S metro population area
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on October 29, 2022