California occupational therapist pay by percentile
Half of California's occupational therapists earn more than $124,510, and the middle half are paid between $103,950 and $136,380.[onet_ot] The 10th percentile, a common new-graduate figure, is $85,550, already $13,860 above the national 10th percentile. BLS counted 13,810 OT jobs in California in May 2025, 8.5% of the national total.[oews_api]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $85,550 | $41.13 | $69,014 |
| 25th | $103,950 | $49.98 | $81,959 |
| Median (50th) | $124,510 | $59.86 | $96,369 |
| 75th | $136,380 | $65.57 | $104,482 |
| 90th | $158,560 | $76.23 | $119,642 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Nationally the median is $100,330, with $71,690 at the 10th percentile and $131,950 at the 90th.[onet_ot] Oregon ranks second at $112,310; every state is ranked on occupational therapist salary.
Occupational therapist salary by California metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays occupational therapists the most in California at a median of $136,870, and Yuba City, CA the least at $107,760, a gap of $29,110.[onet_ot] Choose a metro in the calculator above to see its take-home figure.
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $136,870 | $65.80 | $97,450 | $169,990 |
| 2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $136,770 | $65.75 | $96,250 | $171,460 |
| 3. Vallejo, CA | $135,000 | $64.90 | $84,860 | $161,470 |
| 4. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $130,420 | $62.70 | $97,900 | $157,390 |
| 5. Chico, CA | $129,260 | $62.14 | $101,900 | $143,680 |
| 6. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $128,010 | $61.54 | $87,120 | $161,910 |
| 7. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $125,890 | $60.52 | $95,870 | $152,450 |
| 8. North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $124,800 | $60.00 | $81,150 | $150,310 |
| 9. Napa, CA | $124,490 | $59.85 | $78,160 | $172,690 |
| 10. Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $123,200 | $59.23 | $79,590 | $156,000 |
| 11. Salinas, CA | $123,180 | $59.22 | $83,720 | $153,920 |
| 12. Stockton-Lodi, CA | $122,990 | $59.13 | $81,580 | $149,100 |
| 13. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $122,780 | $59.03 | $94,910 | $154,940 |
| 14. Visalia, CA | $122,690 | $58.99 | $60,160 | $140,030 |
| 15. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $122,040 | $58.67 | $82,840 | $154,730 |
| 16. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $121,680 | $58.50 | $92,790 | $152,150 |
| 17. Modesto, CA | $121,110 | $58.23 | $83,410 | $158,690 |
| 18. North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $121,110 | $58.23 | $84,950 | $155,120 |
| 19. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $120,570 | $57.97 | $90,460 | $152,310 |
| 20. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $119,530 | $57.47 | $86,490 | $150,490 |
| 21. Merced, CA | $117,970 | $56.72 | $71,530 | $149,210 |
| 22. Fresno, CA | $116,690 | $56.10 | $93,720 | $150,750 |
| 23. Redding, CA | $110,230 | $53.00 | $78,710 | $143,830 |
| 24. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $110,170 | $52.97 | $80,070 | $150,120 |
| 25. Yuba City, CA | $107,760 | $51.81 | $80,430 | $150,320 |
Take-home pay for a California OT
A single California OT at the state median keeps about $96,369 after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, before California income tax.[irs][ssa] California's income tax is progressive, so enter your own effective rate in the calculator; the table shows a few rates.
| Effective CA rate | Take-home per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | $96,369 | $8,031 |
| 4% | $91,388 | $7,616 |
| 6% | $88,898 | $7,408 |
| 8% | $86,408 | $7,201 |
COTA salary in California
An occupational therapy assistant (COTA) in California earns a median $81,770 a year, or $39.31 an hour, $9,470 above the national median.[onet_ota]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $65,680 | $31.58 | $54,954 |
| 25th | $76,350 | $36.71 | $62,542 |
| Median (50th) | $81,770 | $39.31 | $66,355 |
| 75th | $96,720 | $46.50 | $76,873 |
| 90th | $104,990 | $50.48 | $82,690 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
OT vs PT pay in California
California occupational therapists out-earn the state's physical therapists at the median: $124,510 for OTs against $124,190 for PTs, a difference of $320.[onet_ot][onet_pt] Nationally the order is reversed, so California is unusual. PT pay by California metro is on physical therapist salary California.
Getting a California occupational therapist license
The California Board of Occupational Therapy licenses OTs who finished an accredited program and passed the NBCOT exam, which the board verifies directly with NBCOT.[cbot_proc] Every application carries a $50 fee; fingerprints go through Live Scan for California residents, or two hard fingerprint cards with a $49 processing fee from out of state; the board then bills a prorated initial license fee, and processing takes three to four weeks.[cbot_app][cbot_proc] The NBCOT exam itself costs $540 online.[nbcot_fees]
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Education | Accredited OT master’s or entry-level doctorate |
| National exam | NBCOT OTR, $540 online; the board requests your verification |
| Board application | $50, plus a prorated initial license fee once approved |
| Background check | Live Scan, or two fingerprint cards and $49 from outside California |
| Processing | About 3–4 weeks |
California is not among the 11 states accepting OT Compact privilege applications as of October 2026, so an OT moving to California needs a full California license.[otcompact] School length, cost and the OTD debt calculator are on occupational therapy school.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an occupational therapist make in California per hour?
$59.86 at the state median (BLS, May 2025), from $41.13 at the 10th percentile to $76.23 at the 90th.
Is California the highest-paying state for occupational therapists?
Yes. California's OT median of $124,510 is the highest of any state; Oregon is second at $112,310.
Where in California do occupational therapists make the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($136,870 median), then San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and Vallejo, CA.
How much does a COTA make in California?
The California median for occupational therapy assistants is $81,770 a year, or $39.31 an hour.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-1122.00 Occupational Therapists (state and metro percentiles)
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)
- Local Wages: 31-2011.00 Occupational Therapy Assistants (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 29-1123.00 Physical Therapists (state and metro percentiles)
- License Application Process Overview (NBCOT exam verification, background check, prorated initial license fee)
- Application: $50 application fee, $49 fee for fingerprint cards, processing 3–4 weeks
- Fees (online initial exam application $540; retake $430)
- Before you apply: states accepting OT Compact privilege applications