Help people regain the skills for daily living and working after injury, illness, or disability.
You may also see this posted as: Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), Occupational Therapist (OT), Pediatric Occupational Therapist (Pediatric OT), Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR), Assistive Technology Trainer, Early Intervention Occupational Therapist.
Hospitals, schools, clinics, and homes; hands-on, active work.
Usually full-time; some evenings and weekends.
Social
helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people
Investigative
solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
O*NET job zone 5 of 5
Extensive preparation—often graduate education and significant experience—is common.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 2.2% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Master's degree
Training path: Master's + license.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: None.
Requires a master's degree, a national exam, and a state license.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Helping people relearn daily life — schools, hospitals, home care.
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Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
Free resume templates, interview practice, and getting-hired guides in the Careers kit.
Standard Occupational Classification 29-1122. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.