Occupational Therapists Salary
Occupational Therapists in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL make a median of $97,720 a year, or about $46.98 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $96,858 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,977/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $98K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Occupational therapists pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $100K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,977/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapists in metros near Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $101K | $89K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $100K | $98K |
| Jacksonville | $99K | $100K |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $104K | $102K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level occupational therapists (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $37K 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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Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapists in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapists typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,531/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $100K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for occupational therapists?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapists make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $97,720 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,520, and experienced occupational therapists can clear $112,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,428/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 30.8% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $96,858 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.