All About Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapist (OT) Example Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays.
Occupational Therapist (OT) Responsibilities
- Provide training and supervision in therapy techniques and objectives for students or nurses and other medical staff.
- Conduct research in occupational therapy.
- Design and create, or requisition, special supplies and equipment, such as splints, braces, and computer-aided adaptive equipment.
- Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
- Train caregivers how to provide for the needs of a patient during and after therapy.
- Develop and participate in health promotion programs, group activities, or discussions to promote client health, facilitate social adjustment, alleviate stress, and prevent physical or mental disability.
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Occupational Therapist (OT) Needed Skills
These are the skills Occupational Therapists say are the most useful in their careers:
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Types of Occupational Therapist (OT) Jobs
- Occupational Therapist (OT)
- Independent Living Specialist
- Industrial Rehabilitation Consultant
- Staff Occupational Therapist
- Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Are There Job Opportunities for Occupational Therapists?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 130,400 jobs in the United States for Occupational Therapist. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 23.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 31,000 new jobs for Occupational Therapist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 10,200 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Occupational Therapist (OT) are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Rhode Island, or Minnesota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Occupational Therapists Salary
The salary for Occupational Therapists ranges between about $55,490 and $120,750 a year.
Occupational Therapists who work in California, New Jersey, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
How much do Occupational Therapists make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $83,810 |
| Alaska | $86,860 |
| Arizona | $94,800 |
| Arkansas | $81,810 |
| California | $95,160 |
| Colorado | $89,770 |
| Connecticut | $90,780 |
| Delaware | $86,020 |
| District of Columbia | $94,360 |
| Florida | $81,520 |
| Georgia | $82,060 |
| Hawaii | $83,010 |
| Idaho | $81,230 |
| Illinois | $83,940 |
| Indiana | $79,870 |
| Iowa | $80,740 |
| Kansas | $78,720 |
| Kentucky | $79,460 |
| Louisiana | $85,490 |
| Maine | $72,160 |
| Maryland | $89,230 |
| Massachusetts | $87,160 |
| Michigan | $77,940 |
| Minnesota | $74,050 |
| Mississippi | $81,590 |
| Missouri | $75,120 |
| Montana | $74,940 |
| Nebraska | $76,850 |
| Nevada | $100,970 |
| New Hampshire | $79,850 |
| New Jersey | $96,600 |
| New Mexico | $81,660 |
| New York | $88,370 |
| North Carolina | $84,390 |
| North Dakota | $67,420 |
| Ohio | $85,720 |
| Oklahoma | $82,240 |
| Oregon | $90,720 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,030 |
| Rhode Island | $83,600 |
| South Carolina | $78,470 |
| South Dakota | $69,390 |
| Tennessee | $84,870 |
| Texas | $89,360 |
| Utah | $85,300 |
| Vermont | $76,840 |
| Virginia | $93,010 |
| Washington | $81,250 |
| West Virginia | $81,080 |
| Wisconsin | $73,390 |
| Wyoming | $82,010 |
What Tools & Technology do Occupational Therapists Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Occupational Therapists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- FileMaker Pro
- Internet browser software
- HMS
- Screen reader software
- Text to speech software
- Screen magnification software
- Speech recognition software
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR System
- Rehab Documentation Company ReDoc Suite
- BillingTracker
- Language arts educational software
- Text scanning software
- Math educational software
How do I Become an Occupational Therapist (OT)?
What education or degrees do I need to become an Occupational Therapist?
How Long Does it Take to Become an Occupational Therapist (OT)?
Where do Occupational Therapists Work?
The table below shows the approximate number of Occupational Therapists employed by various industries.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being an Occupational Therapist may also be interested in:
Those who work as an Occupational Therapist sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Barbara E. Carver via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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