Mechanical Engineer vs Occupational Therapist Salary
Mechanical Engineers earn approximately 1.0% more than Occupational Therapists nationally — $96,000 vs $95,000.
These two pay almost the same nationally — within 1% of each other — so the choice comes down to working conditions rather than money.
What it takes to get in
Mechanical Engineer roles typically require a bachelor's degree, while Occupational Therapist roles require a master's degree. Counting everything it takes to become employable — degree plus any apprenticeship, residency, or licensing exam — that is roughly 4 years for Mechanical Engineer and 6 for Occupational Therapist.
Only one of the two is gated by licensing: Occupational Therapist requires State license via NBCOT certification exam, while Mechanical Engineer does not. That cuts both ways — a license is a real barrier when you are trying to enter, and a real moat once you hold one, because it limits how quickly the labor supply can grow.
Pay range, not just the median
The medians hide most of what matters. Mechanical Engineer pay runs from roughly $62,000 at the low end to $136,000 at the high end; Occupational Therapist runs $67,090 to $129,830. The title sets the band; specialization, employer size, and location decide where inside it you actually sit.
What the work is actually like
Mechanical Engineer: Offices, manufacturing plants, and test/prototype labs. Occupational Therapist: Hospitals, schools, rehab clinics, and patients' homes.
Moving between the two
These two barely touch. Engineering and Healthcare draw on separate training pipelines, and employers in one rarely read experience in the other as relevant. Budget for a real reset. Aerospace, automotive, and industrial-machinery mechanical engineers cross over with minimal retraining; PE licensure is needed only for consulting or public infrastructure work. Occupational therapy assistants (COTAs) must complete a full graduate program to become OTs; OTs can pivot into ergonomics/human factors consulting or educational settings.
If you are entering rather than switching: Mechanical Engineer — Earn an ABET-accredited bachelor's in mechanical engineering, complete internships/co-ops, then enter industry directly — most private-sector roles don't require a PE license. Occupational Therapist — Complete a bachelor's degree, then a 2-3 year master's (or doctoral) program in occupational therapy, then pass the NBCOT exam.
Pay ranges, education requirements, and employment projections come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. See our methodology for how these are compiled and updated.
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