In 2017, occupational therapists earned slightly less than physical therapists at a mean $40.69 per hour, or $84,640 per year. Their pay could fall below $26.23 per hour, or $54,560 per year, or reach above $57.91 per hour, or $120,440 per year.
Typical costs: A master's degree in occupational therapy typically costs $15,000-$70,000. For example, Milligan College[2] , a private college in Tennessee, offers the 79-credit master's degree in occupational therapy for $49,000.
Just like every other career, occupational therapy too has some good and some bad sides. There are numerous job opportunities and a great career outlook for occupational therapists in the United States of America, but at the same time, the client centered nature of this job may lead to physical or mental pressure.
Occupational therapy school is SO competitive, since many applicants are applying as soon as they can as opposed to when the supposed deadline is. For example, say the programs you're looking at have deadlines in December, but they start accepting applications in August.
7 Best Undergraduate Majors for Occupational Therapy
- Psychology. Psychology was my undergraduate major and the same major as approximately 50% of my OT school cohort (no joke).
- Kinesiology/Exercise Science. Kinesiology and exercise science are also great majors for occupational therapists.
- Education.
- Business.
- Biology.
- Sociology.
- Whatever you're interested in!
According to BLS, mean annual wage and mean hourly wage of an occupational therapy assistant are $60,410 and $29.04 respectively, as of May 2018. Employment level of the assistants and aides is assumed to grow by 28 percent in the coming years, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations.
In most cases, you'll need to complete an undergraduate degree (four years, unless you graduate early or pursue an accelerated program), and then you'll be in occupational therapy school anywhere from two to three years.
RNs can work overtime and get time and 1/2 and make $100,000 if they work overtime a lot. OTs can also make more by working in contract positions on top of their regular job, or in private practice. It all depends. RNs have more upward mobility in the longrun as far as management positions.
7 Best Undergraduate Majors for Occupational Therapy
- Psychology. Psychology was my undergraduate major and the same major as approximately 50% of my OT school cohort (no joke).
- Kinesiology/Exercise Science. Kinesiology and exercise science are also great majors for occupational therapists.
- Education.
- Business.
- Biology.
- Sociology.
- Whatever you're interested in!
Find out what is the average Occupational Therapist salary
Entry level positions start at $39,350 per year while most experienced workers make up to $102,102 per year.Programs will have “Minimum of 3.0 GPA required.” However, even with a 3.50 you are still competing with tons of other applications with 3.8's – 4.0's. But don't let this completely stress you out. If you're about to graduate, your overall GPA is not something you can change drastically.
Because the program is an AS Degree, students will be required to complete one of the following math courses to satisfy program requirements: College Algebra (MAC1105), Survey of Math (MGF2106), Liberal Arts Math (MGF 2107), or Statistics (STA2023). College Math is recommended.
Depending on the requirements of your chosen graduate school, you may need to earn a bachelor's degree specifically in occupational therapy. However, most will accept a four-year undergraduate degree in biology, psychology, sociology, kinesiology, health science, or even liberal arts.
In reality, no one setting is usually always stressful or always fulfilling. There is often a combination of stressful, draining times and exciting, fulfilling times while working as an occupational therapy practitioner.
- Work in a SNF or Home Health. These are the some of the highest paid settings for occupational therapists.
- Work in an environment that offers bonuses/incentives.
- Work in a place that offers overtime pay.
- Work weekends.
- Sign up to do travel therapy.
- Move to a rural location.
- Avoid salaried positions.
- Specialize.
Generally, OHNs will hold a 4-year degree in nursing and gain experience as occupational health nurses before fully entering the field.
Occupational therapists treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.
In hospitals, OTs help patients with daily activities — such as dressing, bathing and brushing their teeth — that they will need to do successfully to go home. They also help patients in long-term care, such as nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities.
Work Environment: About half of occupational therapists work in offices of occupational therapy or in hospitals. Others work in schools, nursing homes, and home health services. Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of occupational therapists with similar occupations.
Of course, the main purpose of a rehabilitation center is to prepare patients to return home. Physical and occupational therapists work together in this effort. As part of this process, the nursing staff also coordinates the details of planning services and patient care. In short, nurses act as the patient's advocate.
Is becoming an occupational therapist worth the cost? The financial answer is yes but there is a significant price to pay. For most occupational therapists, they will have to deal with student loans for 10 to 20 years won't necessarily be able to celebrate and enjoy that higher income until their loans are dealt with.
Also, working while in OT school is certainly possible, I work 20 hours per week and am a full time student.
D, or teach at a highly ranked OT program then yes your school will matter. If you are looking at schools in an area that has several options for OT schools, it could be beneficial to go to a school with a better reputation because it can give you an advantage for getting a more competitive fieldwork placement.
What To Do If You Didn't Get Into OT School
- It's okay to be upset.
- Many people get into OT school on the second or third application process.
- Look at your application and find room for improvement.
- Take the next year to really beef up your application.
- Budget for increased applications for next year.
no. An occupational therapist should not be referred to as a doctor even if they have a doctorate degree. The reason being, we should not confuse an occupational therapist (or physical therapist for that matter as they also carry a doctorate now) with an actual physician. Impersonating a physician is a crime.
-Your essay and interview are what will really help you stand out from the crowd. -Work on getting strong letters of rec from OTs that you observe/volunteer with. Develop good rapport with them, and provide them with a detailed resume so they know a bit about you.
Certified Occupational Therapists - Similar Jobs
- Athletic Trainers.
- Physical Therapists.
- Recreational Therapists.
- Social and Human Service Assistants.
- Social Workers.
- Occupational Therapist Assistants.
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Specialists.
- Speech Pathologists and Audiologists.
Expect to treat your OT/OTA education like a full time job. During OT school, it is not unusual to spend an entire day on campus for lectures, labs, guest speakers, etc., and then spend your evenings working on homework, reports, and group projects.
