Best US States for Occupational Therapists
All 50 states + DC ranked by Occupational Therapist salary. State tax structure noted for take-home math.
| # | State | Estimated salary | Cost mult. | State tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $118,800 | 1.18× | ~5% effective |
| 2 | Hawaii | $116,600 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $114,300 | 1.12× | ~5% effective |
| 4 | Maryland | $111,300 | 1.08× | ~5% effective |
| 5 | New York | $111,300 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| 6 | Alaska | $109,800 | 1.13× | No state tax |
| 7 | New Jersey | $109,800 | 1.13× | ~5% effective |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $108,300 | 1.20× | ~5% effective |
| 9 | Washington | $107,800 | 1.10× | No state tax |
| 10 | Nevada | $106,900 | 1.02× | No state tax |
| # | State | Salary | After state tax (rough) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $118,800 | $87,140 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $116,600 | $85,526 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $114,300 | $83,839 |
| 4 | Maryland | $111,300 | $81,639 |
| 5 | New York | $111,300 | $81,639 |
| 6 | Alaska | $109,800 | $86,028 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $109,800 | $80,538 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $108,300 | $79,438 |
| 9 | Washington | $107,800 | $84,461 |
| 10 | Nevada | $106,900 | $83,756 |
| 11 | Colorado | $104,200 | $76,431 |
| 12 | Oregon | $104,200 | $76,431 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $103,200 | $75,697 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $101,700 | $74,597 |
| 15 | Arizona | $100,700 | $73,863 |
| 16 | Delaware | $100,700 | $73,863 |
| 17 | Florida | $100,700 | $78,898 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $100,700 | $73,863 |
| 19 | Texas | $98,600 | $77,253 |
| 20 | Utah | $98,600 | $72,323 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $98,300 | $77,018 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $98,100 | $71,956 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $97,000 | $71,150 |
| 24 | Virginia | $97,000 | $71,150 |
| 25 | Alabama | $96,600 | $70,856 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $96,500 | $70,783 |
| 27 | Idaho | $95,700 | $70,196 |
| 28 | Michigan | $95,700 | $70,196 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $95,700 | $70,196 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $95,100 | $69,756 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $95,100 | $74,511 |
| 32 | Illinois | $95,000 | $69,683 |
| 33 | Indiana | $94,300 | $69,169 |
| 34 | Kansas | $94,300 | $69,169 |
| 35 | Ohio | $94,300 | $69,169 |
| 36 | Vermont | $94,300 | $69,169 |
| 37 | Maine | $93,000 | $68,216 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $92,200 | $67,629 |
| 39 | Georgia | $91,000 | $66,749 |
| 40 | Montana | $90,300 | $66,235 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $90,300 | $70,750 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $89,700 | $65,795 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $89,700 | $65,795 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $89,000 | $65,282 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $89,000 | $69,732 |
| 46 | Iowa | $88,400 | $64,841 |
| 47 | Missouri | $88,400 | $64,841 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $87,000 | $63,815 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $85,700 | $62,861 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $85,700 | $62,861 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $84,400 | $61,907 |
What moves with you and what does not
Because Occupational Therapist is a licensed occupation (State license via NBCOT certification exam), the pay differences between states persist in a way they would not otherwise. Workers cannot freely move to the highest-paying state, so the gap does not close. That is worth knowing both as a barrier and, once you hold the license, as protection.
Tax and what the numbers are worth
Income tax reshuffles this ranking. Alaska, Washington, Nevada appear in the top ten and levy no state income tax, so the gross figures understate take-home there by roughly 3–6% relative to a taxing state at the same salary. Against a high-tax state, that is worth several thousand dollars a year at this occupation's median of $95,000.
The offset is usually property tax. States without an income tax recover the revenue elsewhere, so the advantage is largest for renters and narrows considerably for homeowners. Run both if you plan to buy.
The spread from Mississippi ($84,400) to California ($118,800) is 41%. Cost of living explains most of it — a state paying 25% above the national median for this role usually costs proportionally more to live in, which is why cost-adjusted rankings look different from nominal ones.
Where the field is heading
Nationally, Occupational Therapist employment is projected to grow strongly — 14% through 2034, with roughly 10,200 openings a year counting replacements. Growth is rarely evenly distributed: states with the industry concentration driving that growth will feel it first, and the ranking above is a reasonable proxy for where.
Salaries are modelled from BLS national medians adjusted for local price level at a wage elasticity below 1 — pay rises with local costs but not proportionally. See our methodology.