Occupational Therapists Employment & Job Outlook in California (2024)

California employs 12,470 Occupational Therapists professionals, above the national average concentration.

Data: BLS OEWS 2024 • California employment outlook • Updated 2026-04-06

Total Employed
12,470
professionals
Jobs per 1,000
12.47
workers
Location Quotient
4.39
vs national avg
Average Salary
$113K
annual

High Demand in California

The location quotient (LQ) of 4.39 indicates that California has a higher-than-average concentration of Occupational Therapists professionals. This means the job is in high demand relative to other states, suggesting strong local job market opportunities.

Note: Location Quotient (LQ) is the ratio of the percentage of workers in an occupation in a given area to the percentage in that occupation nationwide. An LQ > 1.0 means above-average concentration; < 1.0 means below-average.

California vs National Average

Total Employed
12,470
National: 144,850
8.6% of national
Jobs per 1,000
12.47
National: 2.84
+339.1%
Average Salary
$113K
National: $93K
+21.5%

Top States by Occupational Therapists Employment

#1
12,470
12,470
employed
#2
10,570
10,570
employed
#3
10,460
10,460
employed
#4
8,100
8,100
employed
#5
7,270
7,270
employed
#6
7,110
7,110
employed
#7
6,060
6,060
employed
#8
5,280
5,280
employed
#9
4,950
4,950
employed
#10
4,690
4,690
employed

What Does a Occupational Therapists Earn in California?

The average annual salary for a Occupational Therapists in California is $113,550. For a detailed breakdown by percentile, entry-level, median, and senior salaries, see the comprehensive salary guide below.

View full salary breakdown →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many Occupational Therapists jobs are there in California?

California employs approximately 12,470 Occupational Therapists professionals (2024 BLS data). This ranks California among the top states nationwide.

Is Occupational Therapists in demand in California?

Yes — California has above-average concentration of Occupational Therapists jobs (LQ: 4.39). A Location Quotient above 1.0 indicates higher-than-average demand.

What is the average salary for Occupational Therapists in California?

The average (mean) salary for Occupational Therapists in California is $113550/year. See our detailed salary page for percentile breakdowns.

What is a Location Quotient (LQ)?

Location Quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is in a state compared to the national average. LQ > 1.0 means the state has more of that job proportionally. LQ > 1.2 indicates strong demand.

Which states employ the most Occupational Therapists professionals?

The top state for Occupational Therapists employment is California with 12,470 jobs.

Related Pages

Data Source

Employment and location quotient data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. This data reflects total employment, jobs per 1,000 workers, location quotient, and average salary for Occupational Therapists (SOC 291122) in California.

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