Occupational Therapist
Health Science
Help people rebuild the skills they need for daily life and work.
Why it matters here: Schools and rehab centers in the DMV report ongoing shortages.
Labor Market — DMV Region
Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS releases (DMV metro and nationwide) plus MD, VA, and D.C. workforce agencies.
Local cost of living is why DMV pay often differs from the national median.
- DMV & state figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS wage & employment estimates and Employment Projections, with OEWS area pay relatives for the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria metro, Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia · View source
- Occupation profiles & skills: O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor) · onetonline.org
All salary figures are published estimates for groups of workers, not offers or guarantees for any individual role.
Education & Career Pathways
Multiple ways to get here — pick the one that fits your life.
Career Progression
How you can grow — with expected salary at each step.
- Entry-level Occupational TherapistLearning the role, supervised work, building core skills.$85,020
- Occupational Therapist (experienced)Independent work, mentoring newer team members.$105,010
- Senior / Lead Occupational TherapistOwning projects, specialization, higher responsibility.$123,170
- Manager or specialist trackSupervising a team or moving into a high-demand specialty.$147,804
Skills Required
What you'll actually do — and how you'll be judged.
Rehab clinic, school or home visits, weekday hours
Where you work
A rehab gym, a school, a skilled nursing facility, or a client's own kitchen and bathroom when the goal is daily living.
Hours and schedule
Weekday hours; school-based OTs follow the school calendar and get summers on a different schedule.
Pace and pressure
Session-based and calm, with heavy documentation between visits.
Who you work with
One-on-one with clients, coordinating with PTs, speech therapists, teachers and families.
Physical demands
Hands-on assisting, kneeling, adapting equipment; lots of carrying supplies between sites.
What people wear
Polo and pants, scrubs, or professional casual in schools.
Remote reality
Teletherapy is used for coaching and school consults; hands-on work stays in person.
Workplace culture: what's normal here
- Goals are written in the client's own words — what they want to be able to do again.
- Creativity with everyday objects is valued more than expensive equipment.
- Family training is part of every plan, not an add-on at discharge.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Work Environment, with regional detail for the DMV.
Official data behind this career
Federal statistics for DMV Region, translated into plain language.
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metro area
Source: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP03, DP02, DP05)
- The DMV functions as one labor market: workers routinely cross state lines to get to work.
- The largest employment destinations are D.C., Fairfax County and Montgomery County.
Top places these workers go to work
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — BEA regional GDP and personal income, most recent published year
Private-sector payroll data from ADP. It is a supplemental near-real-time indicator and does not replace BLS government employment statistics.
Source: ADP National Employment Report — Most recent monthly ADP National Employment Report
- 1U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH, OEWS, Employment Projections, CES) — Primary source for occupation wages, outlook, projected openings, education and training.
- 2U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey — Primary source for income, educational attainment, labor force and demographic context by place.
- 3Census LEHD (LODES / OnTheMap) — Primary source for where workers live versus where they work, and local workforce flows.
- 4U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Primary source for regional GDP, industry contribution, compensation and personal income.
- 5ADP National Employment Report — Supplemental near-real-time private-sector employment and pay indicator. Not a replacement for BLS.
Figures describe groups of workers, not any one person. Where an official figure is not published for a category, this page says “Data unavailable for this category.” rather than estimating.
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