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Occupational therapist salary in New York

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$96,390median pay per year in New York, or $46.34 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $64,770lowest 10% earn less
  2. $76,98025th percentile
  3. $96,390median
  4. $114,40075th percentile
  5. $133,700top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $100,330[3]

The median pay for occupational therapists in New York was $96,390 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $3,940 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in NY
11,690[4]
Rank by median pay
35 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−3.9%[6]

How much do occupational therapists make in New York?

Half of the occupational therapists in New York earned more than $96,390 a year and half earned less[1]. That works out to $46.34 an hour[1]. The average was a bit higher, at $97,650 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $100,330[3], so New York sat $3,940 (3.9%) below it[6]. New York had the 35th highest median among the 50 states and DC[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, whose median was $59,670[8], occupational therapists earned $36,720 more[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $64,770[2]. The 25th percentile was $76,980 and the 75th percentile was $114,400[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $133,700[2]. Percentiles are boundaries in the pay range, so they are not a starting salary[10].

By metro area, Ithaca had the highest median in the state at $102,910[11]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area, which had 11,640 jobs, had a median of $101,460[12]. Buffalo-Cheektowaga was at $81,560[12]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. Self-employed people, business owners and partners are left out, and so are bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[13].

New York vs US pay

Pay for occupational therapists in New York next to the national figures[1][3].

NYUS
Median per year$96,390[1]$100,330[3]
Median per hour$46.34[1]$48.24[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$64,770[2]$71,690[14]
Top 10% earn more than$133,700[2]$131,950[14]
Jobs11,690[4]162,450[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for occupational therapists, and the median pay in each[12]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[12]$101,46011,640
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$81,560970
Rochester, NY$81,750740
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$85,990550
Syracuse, NY$86,110470
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$97,720410
Utica-Rome, NY$85,920240
Binghamton, NY$86,390180

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for occupational therapists in the states that border New York, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Jersey[15]$103,4106,290
Connecticut$102,4403,150
Massachusetts$100,9306,510
Pennsylvania$98,4406,560
Vermont$93,340320

Median pay for occupational therapists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for occupational therapists are projected to grow 14.8% from 2025 to 2035[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does an occupational therapist make in New York?
The median was $96,390 a year in May 2025, and the average was $97,650[1][7]. The US median was $100,330[3].
How much does an occupational therapist make an hour in New York?
The median was $46.34 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $31.14 an hour and the 90th percentile was $64.28[18].
Which city in New York pays occupational therapists the most?
Ithaca had the highest median among the state's metro areas with a published figure, at $102,910 a year[11]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had a median of $101,460[12].
Is New York a good state for occupational therapists?
New York had the 35th highest median pay for this job out of the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $3,940 below the US median[6].
What do you need to become an occupational therapist in New York?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a master's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training needed[17]. This is a US figure, not one for New York alone.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Occupational Therapists in New York was $96,390 per year and $46.34 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Occupational Therapists in New York: 10th percentile $64,770, 25th percentile $76,980, 75th percentile $114,400, 90th percentile $133,700. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Occupational Therapists in the US as a whole was $100,330 per year and $48.24 per hour, with about 162,450 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 11,690 people worked as Occupational Therapists in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 35th highest median annual wage for Occupational Therapists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Occupational Therapists in New York ($96,390) was $3,940 (3.9%) lower than the US median ($100,330). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Occupational Therapists in New York was $97,650 per year and $46.95 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Occupational Therapists in New York was $36,720 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Occupational Therapists, Ithaca, NY had the highest median annual wage, $102,910. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Occupational Therapists in the US: 10th percentile $71,690, 25th percentile $82,510, 75th percentile $116,670, 90th percentile $131,950. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Occupational Therapists in states that border New York (highest first): New Jersey $103,410; Connecticut $102,440; Massachusetts $100,930; Pennsylvania $98,440; Vermont $93,340. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Occupational Therapists is projected to grow 14.8% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Occupational Therapists: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  18. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Occupational Therapists in New York: 10th percentile $31.14, 25th percentile $37.01, 75th percentile $55.00, 90th percentile $64.28. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.