Occupational therapist

What does an occupational therapist do?

• Assess how a person manages daily activities at home, at work, at school or in the community.
• Set goals with patients and plan therapy around what matters to them.
• Teach new ways to do everyday tasks after injury, illness or disability.
• Recommend equipment and changes to homes or workplaces, such as rails, ramps or adapted tools.
• Support people with mental health conditions to build routines, confidence and skills.
• Help children with physical or developmental difficulties take part at school and at home.
• Work with families, carers, teachers and other health and social care professionals.

Where do they work?

Occupational therapists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, mental health services, community teams, schools, prisons, care homes and people's homes. Some work for local governments in social care or housing, for employers helping staff return to work, or in private practice. Hours are often regular, although hospital roles may include weekends. Community roles involve travel between homes and services, practical problem solving and close contact with patients, families and social workers.

What skills do you need?

• Assessing physical, mental and social needs
• Creative problem solving
• Patience and empathy
• Knowledge of anatomy, psychology and disability
• Clear communication and teaching
• Adapting activities and environments
• Teamwork across health and social care
• Report writing

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• empathise with the healthcare user
• educate on the prevention of illness
• use computer programs to improve patients' skills
• apply organisational techniques
• communicate effectively in healthcare
• develop a rehabilitation programme
• undertake healthcare examination
• develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship
• work in multidisciplinary health teams
• monitor patients' progress related to treatment
• ensure safety of healthcare users
• provide assistive technology

Essential knowledge: supervision of persons · health care legislation · general medicine · human anatomy · ergonomics · movement techniques · professional documentation in health care · orthopaedics

How do you become an occupational therapist?

You usually need an occupational therapy qualification approved by your national regulator or professional body. In many countries, including the UK, Australia and India, this is a bachelor's degree of three to four years or more, with long clinical placements. In the United States and Canada, you normally need a master's or doctorate in occupational therapy after a bachelor's degree. Graduates in psychology, biology or other subjects can take a two-year graduate-entry master's in several countries. After qualifying, you register with the regulator and, in some countries, including the United States, pass a national exam.

1. Occupational therapy degree. A bachelor's degree in occupational therapy usually takes three to four years, and longer in some countries. You study anatomy, psychology, disability and therapy methods, and complete many hours of supervised practice in hospitals and community services. This is the standard route in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India and many other countries.
2. Graduate-entry master's or doctorate. If you already have a degree, you can take a two-year graduate-entry master's in countries such as the UK and Australia. In the United States and Canada, a graduate degree is the standard entry route, and the United States offers both master's and doctoral programmes. Psychology, biology and health sciences are common first degrees.
3. Apprenticeship or vocational route. Occupational therapy assistants and support workers can sometimes progress to full qualification. In the UK, degree apprenticeships let you train while working, and in a few countries occupational therapists train at vocational colleges rather than universities. Check which qualifications your national regulator accepts.

Degrees that lead to this career

• Physiotherapy

  A physiotherapy degree trains you to help people move, recover and manage pain after injury, illness or surgery, using exercise, hands-on treatment and advice.

  3 linked careers

• Psychology

  A psychology degree is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour: how people think, feel, learn, develop and relate to each other.

  6 linked careers

• Nursing

  A nursing degree prepares you to care for patients and families in hospitals, clinics, homes and communities, combining health science with supervised practice on clinical placements.

  4 linked careers

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Do you need a licence to work as an occupational therapist?

Occupational therapy is a regulated profession in many countries, and the job title is often protected by law. You usually need to complete an approved programme and register with a national or state regulator before you can practise. In the United States, you pass a national certification exam and then get a state licence. Where there is no legal regulator, a professional association may set standards instead. Check the rules in the country where you want to work.

How much does an occupational therapist earn?

Pay in the United States

• $100,330Median annual wage, May 2025
• $71,690–$131,950Range from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%
• 162.5KPeople employed in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, SOC 29-1122, May 2025. National estimates across all industries; excludes the self-employed.

Earnings of Professionals around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 2, "Professionals". The table covers the whole group, which includes occupational therapist and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Newly qualified occupational therapist
2. Occupational therapist
3. Senior or specialist occupational therapist
4. Clinical lead or team manager
5. Head of therapy services or consultant occupational therapist

Job outlook

Ageing populations, more people living with long-term conditions and a policy focus on helping people stay independent at home all support demand for occupational therapists. Mental health, children's services and return-to-work programmes are also important areas in many countries. The profession is less well known than physiotherapy, and in some countries there are few posts outside large cities. Pressure on public funding can lead to high caseloads and waiting lists.

Questions about becoming an occupational therapist

What is the difference between an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist?

Physiotherapists focus mainly on movement, strength, pain and physical recovery. Occupational therapists focus on helping people carry out daily activities, such as dressing, cooking, working or going to school, and they consider mental health and the home or work environment as well as the body. The two professions often work together, for example when someone is recovering from a stroke.

How long does it take to become an occupational therapist?

In most countries it takes three to four years to complete a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy. If you already have a degree, a graduate-entry master's usually takes about two years. In the United States and Canada, entry is at graduate level, so it typically takes six to seven years in total, including your bachelor's. You then need to register and, in some countries, pass an exam.

Do occupational therapists work in mental health?

Yes. Occupational therapy has strong roots in mental health care, and many occupational therapists still work in this field. They help people with conditions such as depression, anxiety or psychosis build daily routines, return to work or study, and live more independently. They work in hospitals, community mental health teams and supported housing.

Can you become an occupational therapist with a psychology degree?

Yes, in many countries. A psychology degree is a common background for graduate-entry master's programmes in occupational therapy, which usually take about two years. In the United States and Canada, psychology is also a popular first degree before an occupational therapy master's or doctorate. Programmes often ask for some study of anatomy or physiology and for experience in care settings.

Related careers

• Physiotherapist

  Physiotherapists help people move better, manage pain and recover from injury, illness, surgery or disability, using exercise, hands-on treatment and advice.

  Degree required · Licensed

• Speech and language therapist

  Speech and language therapists assess and treat people who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking or swallowing.

  Degree required · Licensed

• Social worker

  Social workers support children, families and adults who face serious difficulties, such as abuse, neglect, poverty, disability, mental illness or addiction.

  Degree required · Licensed

• Nurse

  Registered nurses care for patients, give medicines and treatments, watch for changes in their condition and support them and their families.

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Sources

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — SOC 29-1122, national estimates, May 2025
2. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
3. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 2269.4

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become an occupational therapist: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/occupational-therapist/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

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