Occupational Therapist Salary
If you love to work with those who are disabled to help them improve their ability to live a full life, a career as an occupational therapist may be perfect for you. A therapist of this type works to help patients find ways to complete tasks both at home and work in order to remain independent and productive members of society.
One thing you will need to consider before determining if this is the career path for you is the occupational therapist salary. Many find the wages of an occupational therapist are more than enough to meet their needs.
Occupational Therapist Salary
As of May 2008, the median annual salary of an occupational therapist was $66,780. Those in the lowest 10% earned a salary less that $42,820 while those in the highest 10% made close to $100,000.
Your employment setting will play a large role in your occupational therapist salary as those who work in home health care services tend to make the most while those who work in an elementary or secondary school setting make the least on average. No matter which way you go though, you will make a decent living wage and enjoy helping others live life to the fullest.
Occupational Therapist Training and Education
In order to obtain a job as an occupational therapist, you will need to have a master’s degree or higher. The program you attend to obtain your education must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.
This is the only way you will be able to take the national certifying exam. As of 2009, 150 programs that meet these qualifications are available. In addition to coursework, you will also be required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of supervised fieldwork.
Occupational Therapist Licensure and Certification
All 50 states require that you obtain a license to practice in this field. Without attending a program that has been accredited, you are unable to become licensed. Once this program is completed and you have passed the certification exam, you will be allowed to call yourself an “occupational therapist registered”.
Be sure to check with your state to see if any other requirements must also be met. Certification is not mandatory, but most choose to pursue this as it has the same requirements as licensure. Some states do have their own requirements so again research must be done on your part.
Job Growth Outlook For Occupational Therapists
Job growth is expected to be exceedingly high for occupational therapists according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. growth is expected to reach 26% between the years 2008 and 2018 which is far better than most other jobs in the United States.
Jobs for occupational therapists working with the elderly are expected to particularly grow fast. With the ever-increasing aging baby boomer generation occupational therapist are expected to be in high demand.
Keep in mind that those occupational therapist with the best licensure and training will get the best job opportunities as employers are always looking for workers who are the best trained. Remember to do some further research online into the specific requirements of your state. Good luck!
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