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Occupational Therapists Employment & Job Outlook in California (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

California employs 13,810 Occupational Therapists professionals, above the national average concentration.

Data: BLS OEWS 2025 • California employment outlook • Updated 2026-05-19

Total Employed
13,810
professionals
Jobs per 1,000
13.81
workers
Location Quotient
4.34
vs national avg
Average Salary
$121K
annual

High Demand in California

The location quotient (LQ) of 4.34 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
13,810
National: 162,420
8.5% of national
Jobs per 1,000
13.81
National: 3.18
+334.3%
Average Salary
$121K
National: $99K
+23.1%

Top States by Occupational Therapists Employment

#1
13,810
13,810
employed
#2
13,400
13,400
employed
#3
11,690
11,690
employed
#4
10,650
10,650
employed
#5
7,710
7,710
employed
#6
6,760
6,760
employed
#7
6,560
6,560
employed
#8
6,510
6,510
employed
#9
6,290
6,290
employed
#10
5,120
5,120
employed

What Does a Occupational Therapists Earn in California?

The average annual salary for a Occupational Therapists in California is $121,920. For a detailed breakdown by percentile, entry-level, median, and senior salaries, see the comprehensive salary guide below.

View full salary breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Occupational Therapists jobs are there in California?

California employs approximately 13,810 Occupational Therapists professionals (2025 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: 4.34). 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 $121920/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 13,810 jobs.

Find Your Next Opportunity

Related Pages

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Occupational Therapists Employment in Other States

Compare Occupational Therapists labor-market data (jobs, location quotient, salary) across the top-employing states.

All Occupational Therapists & California Resources

Drill deeper into Occupational Therapists pay, hiring, and education data for California.

Data Source

Employment and location quotient data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. 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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