Quick answer:Occupational Therapists in California earn a median $124,510 per year, above the national median of $100,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 13,810 of them. Licensing runs through your state occupational therapy licensing board.
Occupational Therapy Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$124,510
$100,330
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$85,550
$71,690
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$103,950
$82,510
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$136,380
$116,670
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$158,560
$131,950
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
13,810
162,450
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.73
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
13.8%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $124,510 sits above the national median of $100,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.73 puts California below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Occupational therapy demand follows school districts, hospital systems, skilled nursing capacity and home health agencies in the area.
Occupational therapists are licensed state by state. The national framework is a degree from a program with accreditation from ACOTE, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, followed by the NBCOT certification examination. States build licensure on top of that certification and set their own supervision, renewal and endorsement rules.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state occupational therapy licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 260 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
How much do occupational therapists make in California?
The median annual wage for occupational therapists in California is $124,510, above the national median of $100,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $103,950 at the 25th percentile to $136,380 at the 75th.
How many occupational therapists work in California?
California holds about 13,810 occupational therapist jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 162,450, and BLS projects about 10,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a occupational therapist in California?
Occupational therapists are licensed state by state. The national framework is a degree from a program with accreditation from ACOTE, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, followed by the NBCOT certification examination. States build licensure on top of that certification and set their own supervision, renewal and endorsement rules. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state occupational therapy licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a ACOTE-accredited master's or doctoral degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state occupational therapy licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of California for occupational therapists?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $136,870 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for occupational therapists?
On pay, the state median of $124,510 sits above the national $100,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.73 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
