Occupational Therapists Salary
Occupational Therapists in Portland-South Portland, ME make a median of $86,530 a year, or about $41.6 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $84,950 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 39.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $87K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Pay for occupational therapists in Portland-South Portland runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $100K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 39.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for occupational therapistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapists in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $81K | $84K |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $84K | $89K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $84K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level occupational therapists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $44K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-South Portland numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 39.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapists in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,839/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is occupational therapist a high-paying job in Portland-South Portland?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $87K here vs. $100K nationally.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for occupational therapists?
Portland-South Portland pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapists make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $86,530 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,990, and experienced occupational therapists can clear $107,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,382/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 39.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a occupational therapists salary go in Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 $84,950 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.