Other OT-Related Information Current OTs - what was your first starting salary?

[2016OTHopeful]

As a future OT in my first year of OT school, I've checked out the various threads and data available on salary. However, I often see and hear very varied numbers. I'm curious to hear what some actual starting salaries were for current OTs, and what setting you started in. Thank you!

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[deleted517237]

Hi there! My starting salary at a skilled nursing facility in the Chicago area was $36.50 per hour, roughly $75k yearly.

 

[2016OTHopeful]

Hi there! My starting salary at a skilled nursing facility in the Chicago area was $36.50 per hour, roughly $75k yearly.

Thank you for sharing!

 

[beestrng]

Hi there! My starting salary at a skilled nursing facility in the Chicago area was $36.50 per hour, roughly $75k yearly.

Do you know your prn rate?

 

[deleted517237]

$50/hr for prn with my company, which is all SNF based. I work prn at a hospital that pays $52/hr.

 

[BeOT]

A friend of mine said she started out at $70k for outpatient peds/adults clinic in the northeast.

 

[occupationalguy]

Keep in mind cost of living. Salary stats are found online, I would suggest you look at the BLS reports.

OT salaries are going to be in the 50-60k range for starting salaries. Sometimes a little higher, sometimes a lil lower.

Best of luck!

 

[occupationalguy]

$50/hr for prn with my company, which is all SNF based. I work prn at a hospital that pays $52/hr.

I don't doubt your company pays that salary. That is nowhere NEAR an average OT salary, needless to state a STARTING salary. The median salary of all occupational therapists in the US is 78k. Sure there may be a few people starting out at their jobs making 75k - but not many do.

Why are those BLS reports showing median salaries in the 78k range? Guess why? Your starting salary is going to be less than 78k 90%+ of the time. While it is possible to make more we hit a salary wall quickly in our profession.

The outlier figures people quote either do not include benefits (prn positions) or are in high cost areas like SF/NYC/LA. Most OTs make in the 60k range at their first job. Ask yourselves about the salary stats with the government. They aren't made up.

 

[beestrng]

My buddies got jobs 72k to 76k a year snf.

Opportunities for PRN but most value their time off.

North/central FL.

 

[occupationalguy]

My buddies got jobs 72k to 76k a year snf.

Opportunities for PRN but most value their time off.

North/central FL.

This is the problem with "my friend makes this much" stats. That's anecdotal information. Salary statistics kept by the govt don't lie. They vary by geographic location which takes into account the cost of living usually.

Health insurance and benefits are costly. PRN isn't all it's cracked up to be when you factor that in imho. If you're a secondary income earner, I'd say go for it if you have those benefits already.

 

[beestrng]

...

 

[BLS614]

I'm about five weeks from finishing my second fieldwork II. I live in Richmond, VA. My CI at a nonprofit inpatient rehab facility started at approx. 60k. My CI in the school system started at 45k. My "big" (paired mentor a year ahead of me in school) started at a SNF for 79k. In my neck of the woods, going rate for both peds and adults PRN is between 45 and 50 per hour (as confirmed by both of my CIs). If you are a student, you should feel comfortable asking your CIs what their starting salary was. They are there to help you! Mine actually told me without me asking, because secrecy when it comes to salary will only keep salaries low. Also, it's actually completely acceptable to think you should be making over 70k at a SNF. The reason that the median OT salary is only 78k is because nearly a quarter of practicing OTs work in schools and school pay is low (see above). SNFs often have grueling productivity standards and aren't always super ethical. They do, however, usually offer the highest pay for new grads to counteract the negatives and always seem to need OTs. If you like working with the elderly and want a higher salary, then SNF is the way to go.

 

[2016OTHopeful]

I'm about five weeks from finishing my second fieldwork II. I live in Richmond, VA. My CI at a nonprofit inpatient rehab facility started at approx. 60k. My CI in the school system started at 45k. My "big" (paired mentor a year ahead of me in school) started at a SNF for 79k. In my neck of the woods, going rate for both peds and adults PRN is between 45 and 50 per hour (as confirmed by both of my CIs). If you are a student, you should feel comfortable asking your CIs what their starting salary was. They are there to help you! Mine actually told me without me asking, because secrecy when it comes to salary will only keep salaries low. Also, it's actually completely acceptable to think you should be making over 70k at a SNF. The reason that the median OT salary is only 78k is because nearly a quarter of practicing OTs work in schools and school pay is low (see above). SNFs often have grueling productivity standards and aren't always super ethical. They do, however, usually offer the highest pay for new grads to counteract the negatives and always seem to need OTs. If you like working with the elderly and want a higher salary, then SNF is the way to go.

Thanks for your insight! I did actually muster up the courage to ask my CI (and another therapist I'm close with) about their starting salaries, which were both right around 70k.

I appreciate everyone sharing- salary shouldn't be a secretive topic, and it doesn't do our profession any favors when it is.

 

[beestrng]

The manager at my SNF says about 73k starting out. Nice suburb. Retirement account match at 4%.

 

[nOTeworthy]

I'm applying to OT school, but my dad has contacts. A friend of his will start me at $80/hr when I graduate.

 

[beestrng]

I'm applying to OT school, but my dad has contacts. A friend of his will start me at $80/hr when I graduate.

very baller

 

[OTlove91]

Hi There! My first job was $25/hr at a children's hospital, but my current job is $33/hour. I'll do prn sometimes which is $40/hour. Hope this helps

 

[beestrng]

Hi There! My first job was $25/hr at a children's hospital, but my current job is $33/hour. I'll do prn sometimes which is $40/hour. Hope this helps

Where in the country is this?

 

[nOTeworthy]

Where in the country is this?

It's Houston, TX. All of the OT's I'm friends with in TX make $90-110k.

 

[OTlove91]

Where in the country is this?

Hi beestrng! My first job was in South, but I have since moved to the Northeast.

 

[RastaOT]

I'm applying to OT school, but my dad has contacts. A friend of his will start me at $80/hr when I graduate.

Whattttt!!!! We need to talk in august hahaha!

 

[nOTeworthy]

Whattttt!!!! We need to talk in august hahaha!

LoL Did you join our class's Facebook group?

 

[RastaOT]

LoL Did you join our class's Facebook group?

I don't have a facebook.. I found that it took me away from real living haha but I'm considering making one for OT school.

 

[occupationalguy]

BLS reports don't lie. The average salary s 75k. School OT surely has some effect on stats, but I would advise you to ask around. You hardly ever meet an OT who cracks the 6 figure mark, and if you do it's because they live in an ultra high cost of living place.

The average OT in SF makes under 100k. Think about that. That's poor. NYC? Like 70k. We need STRONG advocacy w the government to keep our reimbursement strong, and get rid of the therapy cap. All you new grads need to remember that.

 

[nOTeworthy]

Texas is an exception. It's one of the lowest costs of living and it pays one of the highest. All the OTs I know make near six figures or do. And that's a starting salary. If you move to a rural area here or near the Mexico border, 6 figures is guaranteed.

 

[dobber]

The five "states" that pay the most according to BLS are: New Jersey, California, D.C., Texas, and Nevada. The first three have very high costs of living, Texas/Nevada are easier depending on the region (areas around major cities will see an increase in COL - i.e.: Austin/San Antonio/Las Vegas).

$80/hr as an OT is over $150k, which I find it hard to believe, but hey, if you have that opportunity grab it and don't let it go.

The OTs in my SNF make $31/hr full time (new grads), PRN they are making $46/hr (Central Jersey). One moved to Philly and is making $44/hr.

 

[dobber]

I second occupationalguy in advocating for our field. We could be making good money now, but we need to make sure that it will be stable for the long-haul.

 

[beestrng]

The five "states" that pay the most according to BLS are: New Jersey, California, D.C., Texas, and Nevada. The first three have very high costs of living, Texas/Nevada are easier depending on the region (areas around major cities will see an increase in COL - i.e.: Austin/San Antonio/Las Vegas).

$80/hr as an OT is over $150k, which I find it hard to believe, but hey, if you have that opportunity grab it and don't let it go.

The OTs in my SNF make $31/hr full time (new grads), PRN they are making $46/hr (Central Jersey). One moved to Philly and is making $44/hr.

Wow 31 lol

 

[Coco88]

Question: I had read on one of the threads that it is possible to work full time as an OT and PRN on the weekends? Does anyone have any info on this situation? Thanks!

 

[Futurenjot]

In nj I have heard 80k for inpatient hospital and 65k for peds.

 

[Kidamnesiac]

As a future OT in my first year of OT school, I've checked out the various threads and data available on salary. However, I often see and hear very varied numbers. I'm curious to hear what some actual starting salaries were for current OTs, and what setting you started in. Thank you!

62k at a hospital. Keep in mind that salary also often matches reimbursement structure...the higher the salary, the more that insurance will demand of you. You will DEFINITELY work hard for your money!

 

[Evie]

If you REALLY want to make money as an OT (without owning your own practice), do travel therapy. My sister easily rakes in 6 figures (SNF or home health) in states that pay professional rehabs the best. She's on contract but is given a tax free living stipend on top of her salary. All her loans were paid before she turned 30.

 

[lilbunnies]

If you REALLY want to make money as an OT (without owning your own practice), do travel therapy. My sister easily rakes in 6 figures (SNF or home health) in states that pay professional rehabs the best. She's on contract but is given a tax free living stipend on top of her salary. All her loans were paid before she turned 30.

What are some good companies for that? This is an area I'm interested in! Do they require you to have lots of experience?

Also, you mentioned contract as in she will pay a lot of taxes when she files?

 

[Futurenjot]

If you REALLY want to make money as an OT (without owning your own practice), do travel therapy. My sister easily rakes in 6 figures (SNF or home health) in states that pay professional rehabs the best. She's on contract but is given a tax free living stipend on top of her salary. All her loans were paid before she turned 30.

I'm curious as well.
What particular states has she worked in?
How old was she when she graduated?

 

[Evie]

What are some good companies for that? This is an area I'm interested in! Do they require you to have lots of experience?

Also, you mentioned contract as in she will pay a lot of taxes when she files?

I don't know which companies exactly (I'd have to ask her), but I know she worked under several. She travels with her husband (also a therapist) and has a headhunt recruiter to look for jobs for them to make sure they're both in the same area in the settings they want. They both started travel therapy as soon as they graduated with really good pay, so you don't even need much experience.

The reason I said she's under contract is because she doesn't get the regular benefits of a permanent, full-time employee. I'm certain she pays taxes like any other person in the field. The contract also lasts only 3 months at a time. If she really likes the setting she's in, she'll extend her contract to 6 months. After their contracts end, they usually take off for a month (do a world cruise or something) and then move to a different state. I should also mention you would need a license for every state you decide to move.

Once I graduate OT school, me and my DPT fiancé plan to do the same

 

[Evie]

I'm curious as well.
What particular states has she worked in?
How old was she when she graduated?

So far she's worked in Virginia (our home state), Texas, North Carolina, and lately has been flip-flopping between Virginia and Washington state. She graduated at 25. She also attended a really cheap in-state school which made it all the easier to pay off. I know I won't be as lucky, but I gotta take what I can get.

 

[Futurenjot]

bumping

 

[sngot]

I'm a recent grad and will be working in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through contracting companies the hourly compensation are low 40s for pediatrics and mid 40s for SNF.

 

[Futurenjot]

I'm a recent grad and will be working in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through contracting companies the hourly compensation are low 40s for pediatrics and mid 40s for SNF.

40,000 an year? I thought the programs cost over a 100,000k in California.

 

[bhansen2]

40,000 an year? I thought the programs cost over a 100,000k in California.

$40 per hour

 

[resot]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned pay by billable hour yet. (Unless I just missed it in my admittedly cursory scan).

Be wary of advertised "per hour" rates. Many times (especially outpatient pediatrics and homehealth) facilities mention that they will pay $X per hour, but they don't mention that it is for each billable hour only. This does not account for driving time or documentation time. In a normal 8 hour day, it is difficult to stack 8 billable patient hours. So even if these postings talk about $80 an hour, you aren't actually making that much.

Also, if your patients/clients cancel, you will not be paid for that hour since you cannot bill a session. (Keep in mind that this will affect how you budget, especially during holiday times or summer vacations for pediatrics).

I live in SoCal, and this is something that was common during job searching. If you wanted to negotiate a salary (so you get paid even if patients cancel), they usually offer one at a significantly reduced rate. One early intervention site I interviewed with offered $45 an hour for billable hours, but only a $65,000 salary if I wanted a steady paycheck. And they definitely have productivity requirements to go with that salary.

 

[Futurenjot]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned pay by billable hour yet. (Unless I just missed it in my admittedly cursory scan).

Be wary of advertised "per hour" rates. Many times (especially outpatient pediatrics and homehealth) facilities mention that they will pay $X per hour, but they don't mention that it is for each billable hour only. This does not account for driving time or documentation time. In a normal 8 hour day, it is difficult to stack 8 billable patient hours. So even if these postings talk about $80 an hour, you aren't actually making that much.

Also, if your patients/clients cancel, you will not be paid for that hour since you cannot bill a session. (Keep in mind that this will affect how you budget, especially during holiday times or summer vacations for pediatrics).

I live in SoCal, and this is something that was common during job searching. If you wanted to negotiate a salary (so you get paid even if patients cancel), they usually offer one at a significantly reduced rate. One early intervention site I interviewed with offered $45 an hour for billable hours, but only a $65,000 salary if I wanted a steady paycheck. And they definitely have productivity requirements to go with that salary.

So your starting salary would be 65,000k all together or the 45 an hour?
I'm sorry I'm a little confused.

 

[resot]

So your starting salary would be 65,000k all together or the 45 an hour?
I'm sorry I'm a little confused.

They are offering a choice: 65,000 as a stable salary, and your paycheck is the same every pay period (makes it easier to live off of and budget). Or you get paid 45$ per BILLABLE hour. This is a harder concept to understand: You are only paid for each hour that you treat someone. During the day you may have 6-7 clients scheduled (Most people need the rest of the day to document/account for travel time/etc. Having 8 clients scheduled is not common.) If you see all 7 people, then you are paid 7x45. If two people cancel and you only treat 5 people, then you are only paid 5x45. And you do not count time to do daily notes/progress reports/other administrative time as a billable hour. During the holidays, people may cancel and you might only see 2 people in a day. Which means you only get paid for 2x45 that day. Hard to pay your bills if you aren't sure what you are making each paycheck.

If you are paid salary, even if all your clients cancel for the day, you will still be paid for the day.

There are pros and cons to each payment method.

 

[Futurenjot]

Bumping

 

[lao27746]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned pay by billable hour yet. (Unless I just missed it in my admittedly cursory scan).

Be wary of advertised "per hour" rates. Many times (especially outpatient pediatrics and homehealth) facilities mention that they will pay $X per hour, but they don't mention that it is for each billable hour only. This does not account for driving time or documentation time. In a normal 8 hour day, it is difficult to stack 8 billable patient hours. So even if these postings talk about $80 an hour, you aren't actually making that much.

Also, if your patients/clients cancel, you will not be paid for that hour since you cannot bill a session. (Keep in mind that this will affect how you budget, especially during holiday times or summer vacations for pediatrics).

I live in SoCal, and this is something that was common during job searching. If you wanted to negotiate a salary (so you get paid even if patients cancel), they usually offer one at a significantly reduced rate. One early intervention site I interviewed with offered $45 an hour for billable hours, but only a $65,000 salary if I wanted a steady paycheck. And they definitely have productivity requirements to go with that salary.

$65,000 in Southern California? I live in Los Angeles, and am going to owe over $170,000 in loans. The average rent in my area is at least $1,500 a month. Is it normal for OT's in SoCal to make less than 70k a year considering how expensive everything is here? Even in pediatrics, I thought OT's in SoCal would make no less than $75,000 a year. The average salary for OT's in my area is over $90,000.

 

[FINGERS_CROSSED]

Does anyone have experience or knowledge working in multiple settings? I envision working in the school system and in another setting (not sure which yet) over the summer breaks for extra income.

 

[resot]

$65,000 in Southern California? I live in Los Angeles, and am going to owe over $170,000 in loans. The average rent in my area is at least $1,500 a month. Is it normal for OT's in SoCal to make less than 70k a year considering how expensive everything is here? Even in pediatrics, I thought OT's in SoCal would make no less than $75,000 a year. The average salary for OT's in my area is over $90,000.

Just FYI, I am also in Los Angeles. Among my cohort (we graduated about 3 years ago) the average offer was 65 to 70k. Of course there were outliers (especially for home health or snf), but most other jobs offers were in that range (Lowest offer I heard of was 57k at a peds clinic). For home health and snf, the average was probably 68k to 78k. Of course this is all in terms of salary. If we want to talk about billable hour pay, then that system is different (refer to earlier posts).

 

[lao27746]

Just FYI, I am also in Los Angeles. Among my cohort (we graduated about 3 years ago) the average offer was 65 to 70k. Of course there were outliers (especially for home health or snf), but most other jobs offers were in that range (Lowest offer I heard of was 57k at a peds clinic). For home health and snf, the average was probably 68k to 78k. Of course this is all in terms of salary. If we want to talk about billable hour pay, then that system is different (refer to earlier posts).

Damn. Well I guess I'm going to be living at home for at least the next decade

 

[OT2BE2017]

Damn. Well I guess I'm going to be living at home for at least the next decade

Lol ^the exact reason why I chose not to attend USC, the $131k tuition+fees (not including the 6-7% interest rate for graduate loans) just for a Masters is insane. Sure USC is AMAZING and has a highly esteemed faculty and network, but I could never justify paying that much in tuition.

I highly recommend EVERYONE to use Student Loan Calculators in order to see what they really are getting into in terms of the amount of loans they will be taking out and how much/long it will cost and take to pay them back. It is better to be informed instead of going into debt blindly that way you can have a plan of action when you are done with school.

 

[beestrng]

Lol ^the exact reason why I chose not to attend USC, the $131k tuition+fees (not including the 6-7% interest rate for graduate loans) just for a Masters is insane. Sure USC is AMAZING and has a highly esteemed faculty and network, but I could never justify paying that much in tuition.

I highly recommend everyone to use Student Loan Calculators to see what they really are getting into in terms of the amount of loans they will be taking out and how much it will cost to pay them back. It is better to be informed instead of going into debt blindly that way you can have a plan of action when you are done with school.

looks like I am going to be living like a student for 10 years.