Quick answer:Occupational Therapists in the Knoxville area earn a median $94,490 per year, below the national median of $100,330, and the metro employs about 290 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Occupational Therapy Pay in Knoxville, TN
Metric
Knoxville metro
Tennessee
National
Median annual wage
$94,490
$97,700
$100,330
10th percentile
$58,870
$68,520
$71,690
25th percentile
$77,170
$81,750
$82,510
75th percentile
$101,820
$107,250
$116,670
90th percentile
$116,330
$119,070
$131,950
Employment
290
2,490
162,450
Location quotient
0.65
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Knoxville, TN metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Knoxville median of $94,490 is below the national median of $100,330, and below the Tennessee statewide median of $97,700 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.65 means occupational therapists are less 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.
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 Tennessee licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state occupational therapy licensing board.
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 6 schools
within 161 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
6 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 Knoxville?
The median annual wage for occupational therapists in the Knoxville, TN metro area is $94,490, below the national median of $100,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many occupational therapists work in the Knoxville area?
The Knoxville, TN metro area employs about 290 occupational therapists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do occupational therapists in Knoxville need a license?
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.
Can I study occupational therapy online from Knoxville?
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.
Is Knoxville a better market than the rest of Tennessee?
The Knoxville metro median is $94,490 against a statewide median of $97,700 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
