How to Become an Occupational Therapist [2024 OT Guide]
By Joy Miller
Edited by Briana Sukert
Updated on October 4, 2024
Learning how to become an occupational therapist is the first step toward pursuing this growing and rewarding career in healthcare.
As an occupational therapist, you’d have opportunities to help many different people be successful in their everyday lives. The occupational therapy requirements include a good deal of schooling to prepare you for working in this field.
If you’re passionate about the idea of becoming an occupational therapist, then you may appreciate the thorough education that you’ll receive on the way to becoming a certified and licensed professional.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
If working as an occupational therapist is your goal, then it’s helpful to know how to become an OT. It’s a multi-step process that takes several years to complete.
After getting licensed and finding a job, it’s beneficial to keep learning. Many states require regular recertification, which entails continuing education hours.
Studying how the human body moves and how people interact with their environments could lead to a variety of job opportunities. With knowledge of behavioral science and healthcare, you could consider any of the following roles.
Working as an occupational therapist is, of course, a top goal for people who earn this degree and get certified. As an occupational therapist, you could help people live as independently as possible and engage with their environments.
Your clients might be schoolchildren, older adults, or people with disabilities. Common workplaces for occupational therapists include schools, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and private practice offices.
With a graduate degree in occupational therapy, you might qualify to train OT professionals in certain settings. You’d have the opportunity to pass your knowledge on to others.
A master’s degree or a doctorate in this field might be sufficient for teaching community college classes that prepare students to work as occupational therapy assistants. To teach future occupational therapists, you’ll likely need at least a doctoral degree.
Your understanding of how people move and function could make you a fitting candidate for working as an ergonomist, also known as a human factors engineer.
Most often, ergonomists tailor work environments to make them more suitable for comfort and productivity. Sometimes, ergonomists improve workplaces for all the people who operate in that space. Other times, they customize work areas to adapt them for a specific user.
You could use your understanding of the body to help people get in shape. As a bonus, you’d probably find your background in psychology and behavioral science useful for tapping into people’s motivation.
As an athletic trainer or a health coach, you might encourage well-balanced eating as well as physical fitness. This job might include employment opportunities in gyms or health clinics. Self-employment and consulting could be options, too.
Recreational therapists use various movements, games, and activities to improve their patients’ lives. Recreational therapy can be beneficial for both physical and mental health.
Hospitals, healthcare clinics, and community agencies may hire people to work as recreational therapists. It’s often necessary to pursue Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) status before applying for recreational therapy jobs. In some states, licensure is required as well.
Occupational therapists work in many different settings and with a variety of different client populations. You may want to focus your professional efforts on a particular area of this field. Common specialty areas include:
As you gain experience in a particular branch of OT, you might want to consider becoming officially certified in that area through the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) or another industry group.
After studying occupational therapy, you might choose to work as an occupational therapist or pursue a related career path. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for healthcare practitioners overall is $77,750.
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $104,830 |
| Health and Safety Engineers (Including Human Factors Engineers) | $100,660 |
| Postsecondary Health Specialties Teachers | $100,300 |
| Occupational Therapists | $93,180 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $74,240 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $64,250 |
| Athletic Trainers | $53,840 |
| Recreational Therapists | $51,330 |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | $39,990 |
| Occupational Therapy Aides | $37,060 |
Some of the jobs on this list may require you to complete additional training, such as a certificate, a graduate degree, or a post-professional degree.
Throughout your occupational therapist schooling, it’s essential to earn your education from regionally accredited colleges. Certification and licensure are required in this field, and attending regionally accredited institutions is usually a prerequisite for applying for those credentials.
Even if you don’t intend to pursue professional OT certification, accreditation is still beneficial. Without it, you may be denied the opportunity to use federal financial aid, transfer classes between schools, or apply to advanced training programs.
It’s also necessary to attend a graduate OT program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). This industry organization validates whether colleges’ OT programs meet industry standards.
To qualify to take the NBCOT exam, an essential step in becoming an occupational therapist, you’re required to have completed an ACOTE accredited program. Unless you pass the NBCOT test, you won’t be able to use the Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) title.
There may be financial support available for qualifying students pursuing occupational therapy schooling. Government assistance may come to you as loans or grants. You may be more likely to get grants during your undergrad years than for your graduate program, but loans are often available for students at all levels.
You can check out your state’s student aid programs as well as federal ones. Additional tuition help may be available in the form of institutional scholarships, other scholarships, fellowships, and employer assistance. As you look into funding your tuition, it’s beneficial to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Yes, occupational therapy is a good career path for many professionals. There’s a lot of variety available to people who work in this field.
Whether you want to work with kids, senior citizens, or people recovering from accidents, there could be a place for you in occupational therapy. Plus, you may be able to shape your work life in a way that suits you. Both part-time and full-time roles are available.
Some people choose self-employment or work as consultants instead of in direct practice. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that occupational therapists commonly earn annual salaries between $63,320 and $123,870.
An occupational therapist (OT) is a healthcare professional who supports clients with physical limitations or other challenges.
Occupational therapists help people engage with the world around them, increase their mobility, and complete daily tasks. Going through occupational therapy could help people gain more independence, recover from an accident, or learn mental health coping strategies.
Occupational therapy is a regulated profession. Someone who uses the Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) title has completed an OT education at the graduate level and passed a certification exam. An OTR should hold state licensure as well.
You might be a fitting candidate for a job in occupational therapy if you want to experience a lot of variety in your career. Each client has different needs, so you’ll continually be faced with new challenges.
Not everything an OT does involves working directly with clients, though. These professionals also take detailed notes about therapy sessions and fill out a lot of paperwork. An occupational therapist can benefit from skills that include dedication, clear communication, and scientific thinking. It’s also beneficial to be someone who works well with people, including clients and other care providers.
Occupational therapists assess clients’ needs and develop strategies that will make a difference in their daily lives. OTs often work with kids, senior citizens, and people who are recovering from injuries.
They encourage clients to perform exercises to increase their range of motion or their dexterity. Occupational therapists also suggest various adaptations that can make tasks easier. That can include mobility equipment or modifications to the home or workplace.
OTs often collaborate with other members of a patient’s healthcare team. They also keep detailed and accurate records of their clients’ progress.
Occupational therapy is a career that offers a lot of variety, including a range of potential work settings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 30% of occupational therapists are employed by hospitals.
Other top employment sites for OTs include private healthcare offices and schools. Occupational therapists can also work for home healthcare agencies and skilled nursing facilities. While occupational therapists typically have a home base, such as an office, they might also go out in the field with clients to learn about their daily activities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of occupational therapists make between $63,320 and $123,870 each year. Salary varies based on experience, workplace, and other factors. For instance, home healthcare organizations often pay the highest wages. The median salary for jobs in that setting is $101,500.
The next highest category, jobs in skilled nursing facilities, offers a median salary of $99,550. Elementary and secondary schools may have the lowest pay rates for OTs. The median salary for school OTs is $79,660, which is still well above the average pay for all occupations.
In an occupational therapy degree program, you’ll study a variety of different subjects. Occupational therapists need to know about the human body and how it moves. So, anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology courses are important.
There’s a behavioral science component to this field, too. Classes in psychology and related areas can help you learn to connect with clients, support their mental health challenges, and tap into their motivation. In both the classroom and the field, you’ll learn occupational therapy techniques. You can expect to spend time earning observation and experience hours in OT settings.
You’re required to hold a graduate degree to work as an occupational therapist, but you have options for which healthcare degree to get. One option is an occupational therapy master’s degree. This may be called a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) or a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT).
Another occupational therapist degree to consider is the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). It’s a longer program than the master’s degree but often involves more in-depth study. These degrees can lead to similar job opportunities and salaries. A growing number of universities offer an occupational therapy doctorate online.
In an OT program, you can learn to assess patients and record your findings. You will also learn how to build treatment plans that address your clients’ needs.
Safety is an important skill for occupational therapists to know. You’ll learn to understand how exercises can be performed safely and how to communicate that to your clients. In fact, communication in general is a key skill to develop. Not only do OTs regularly communicate with their clients, but they also talk to clients’ families and their other healthcare providers.
It’s common to spend 6 to 8 years completing occupational therapist schooling. Earning a bachelor’s degree generally takes around 4 years with full-time enrollment. Some students are able to get through their undergrad studies a little more quickly by enrolling in fast-track online programs.
After that, the next step is to earn a graduate degree. Master’s degree programs might take around 2 years to finish with full-time study. A doctorate could take 3 or more years. You might also want to spend extra time after graduation studying for the exam. Your state may have licensing regulations for you to fulfill as well.
There are several types of professionals who work in the occupational therapy field. In particular, many OT settings involve both occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.
| Occupational Therapist (OT) | Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) |
|
|
The above salary data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) oversees certification for both OTRs and OTAs.
Students who want to work with people who are recovering from injuries or surgeries may consider becoming physical therapists or occupational therapists.
| Physical Therapist (PT) | Occupational Therapist (OT) |
|
|
PTs and OTs often work in similar settings, such as hospitals and healthcare clinics, and they often collaborate.
Yes, becoming an occupational therapist is worth it for many students. Occupational therapy is a field in which you can directly affect people’s lives. You may help clients live more independently or gain increased confidence in their ability to interact with the world. Also, there is a growing need for occupational therapy professionals.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for occupational therapists to increase by 14% over the next ten years, which is much faster than average. Those who specialize in autism or gerontology may be especially employable.
Occupational therapy professionals can help clients gain independence, mobility, or confidence. It can be fulfilling to know that you’re making a difference for other people. It can take several years to become an OT, but many find the effort worthwhile.
Now that you know how to be an occupational therapist, it’s time to take the next step toward your career in this field. You can start by searching for the degree programs that will help get you there. You can even complete online studies in OT from accredited universities.
Why not check out the options that are available to you today?
Your career journey starts with the right program—click “Find My Program.”
Take our quiz and we'll do the homework for you! Compare your school matches and apply to your top choice today.
