Occupational Therapists Salary
Occupational Therapists in Fresno, CA make a median of $116,690 a year, or about $56.1 an hour. The range runs from $94K at the entry level to $151K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.16), that's roughly $114,223 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,664/month, or 23.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $117K actually covers in Fresno, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fresno’s Regional Price Parity (102.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About occupational therapists
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What this looks like in Fresno
Fresno sits well above the national pay line for occupational therapists, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $100K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,664/month, 23.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Fresno offers a genuinely strong financial position for occupational therapists at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapists in metros near Fresno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $122K | $107K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $122K | $109K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $137K | $118K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $120K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fresno, CA
Entry-level occupational therapists (10th percentile) start around $94K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $151K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Occupational Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $125K | +24% | 13,810 |
| Oregon | $112K | +12% | 1,170 |
| Nevada | $111K | +10% | 1,080 |
| District of Columbia | $109K | +9% | 540 |
| Washington | $108K | +7% | 3,340 |
| Maryland | $107K | +7% | 2,390 |
| Colorado | $107K | +6% | 3,390 |
| Arkansas | $106K | +6% | 2,160 |
| Texas | $106K | +6% | 13,400 |
| Oklahoma | $104K | +4% | 1,180 |
| Georgia | $104K | +4% | 3,650 |
| Alaska | $104K | +3% | 410 |
| Arizona | $104K | +3% | 2,680 |
| New Jersey | $103K | +3% | 6,290 |
| Hawaii | $103K | +3% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $102K | +2% | 3,150 |
| Delaware | $102K | +2% | 490 |
| South Carolina | $101K | +1% | 1,840 |
| Massachusetts | $101K | +1% | 6,510 |
| Virginia | $101K | +0% | 4,150 |
| Rhode Island | $100K | -0% | 770 |
| Illinois | $100K | -1% | 7,710 |
| Ohio | $99K | -1% | 6,760 |
| Florida | $99K | -1% | 10,650 |
| New Mexico | $99K | -1% | 1,030 |
| Kansas | $99K | -1% | 1,560 |
| Louisiana | $98K | -2% | 2,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -2% | 6,560 |
| Idaho | $98K | -3% | 840 |
| Tennessee | $98K | -3% | 2,490 |
| Kentucky | $98K | -3% | 2,190 |
| Missouri | $97K | -3% | 3,400 |
| Utah | $97K | -3% | 1,030 |
| Indiana | $97K | -3% | 3,830 |
| New York | $96K | -4% | 11,690 |
| West Virginia | $96K | -4% | 700 |
| Mississippi | $95K | -5% | 1,340 |
| Alabama | $94K | -6% | 1,500 |
| Nebraska | $94K | -7% | 1,500 |
| Vermont | $93K | -7% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $93K | -7% | 3,670 |
| North Carolina | $93K | -7% | 4,490 |
| Wisconsin | $92K | -8% | 3,710 |
| Iowa | $90K | -10% | 1,290 |
| Michigan | $90K | -10% | 5,120 |
| Montana | $89K | -11% | 420 |
| Wyoming | $86K | -14% | 350 |
| South Dakota | $85K | -15% | 490 |
| Maine | $84K | -16% | 1,120 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | -16% | 1,240 |
| North Dakota | $83K | -17% | 570 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track occupational therapists salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a occupational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fresno?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 23.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,664/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapists in Fresno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapists typically earn — is $94K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,789/month. At HUD’s $1,664/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is occupational therapist a high-paying job in Fresno?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $117K here vs. $100K nationally.
How does Fresno compare to the national average for occupational therapists?
Fresno pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $114K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational therapists make in Fresno, CA?
The median is $116,690 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $93,720, and experienced occupational therapists can clear $150,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Fresno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,957/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,664/month, which eats 23.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a occupational therapists salary go in Fresno?
Fresno has a Regional Price Parity of 102.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median occupational therapists salary is worth about $114,223 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do occupational therapists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.