Quick answer: Occupational Therapists in the Palm Bay area earn a median $98,090 per year, below the national median of $100,330, and the metro employs about 260 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Palm Bay metro | Florida | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $98,090 | $99,360 | $100,330 |
| 10th percentile | $65,060 | $66,230 | $71,690 |
| 25th percentile | $74,960 | $81,360 | $82,510 |
| 75th percentile | $102,050 | $104,830 | $116,670 |
| 90th percentile | $118,390 | $117,950 | $131,950 |
| Employment | 260 | 10,650 | 162,450 |
| Location quotient | 1.0 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metropolitan statistical area.
The Palm Bay median of $98,090 is below the national median of $100,330, and below the Florida statewide median of $99,360 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.0 means occupational therapists are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Occupational therapy demand follows school districts, hospital systems, skilled nursing capacity and home health agencies in the area.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | $101,480 | 2,550 |
| Tampa | $97,720 | 1,660 |
| Orlando | $99,520 | 1,160 |
| Jacksonville | $99,340 | 890 |
| North Port | $104,030 | 730 |
| Port St. Lucie | $99,940 | 370 |
| Gainesville | $97,130 | 340 |
| Cape Coral | $100,850 | 330 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.
See the Florida licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state occupational therapy licensing board.
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.
This page lists 8 schools within 173 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 8 of them carry a score.
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.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for occupational therapists in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro area is $98,090, below the national median of $100,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metro area employs about 260 occupational therapists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state occupational therapy licensing board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state occupational therapy licensing board.
The Palm Bay metro median is $98,090 against a statewide median of $99,360 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
