Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| California | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $124,510 | $101,555 | +23% |
| Median hourly wage | $59.86 | $48.82 | +23% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $112,475.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $149,374 | $116,250 | $170,500 | 244 |
| Oakland | $134,918 | $105,000 | $154,000 | 196 |
| Los Angeles | $123,354 | $96,000 | $140,800 | 173 |
| Long Beach | $115,644 | $90,000 | $132,000 | 153 |
| San Diego | $113,717 | $88,500 | $129,800 | 161 |
| Sacramento | $104,080 | $81,000 | $118,800 | 130 |
| Fresno | $91,552 | $71,250 | $104,500 | 105 |
The median annual salary for a Occupational Therapist in California is $124,510, or about $59.86 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Occupational Therapists is $101,555. California is +23% above the national median.
Entry-level occupational therapists in California typically earn from $116,250 depending on the city and employer.
With 13,810 occupational therapist jobs on record and a median salary of $124,510, California offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, occupational therapists rank 130 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 84% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric at $400,150, Neurologists at $357,080, Psychiatrists at $353,500 — all figures are median annual wages for California.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, occupational therapists rank 130 of the 793 occupations reported in California — higher than 84% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in California | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $400,150 | $820 |
| Neurologists | $357,080 | $1,090 |
| Psychiatrists | $353,500 | $5,420 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $313,890 | $6,370 |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $301,240 | $1,610 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 | $2,230 |
California levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 145.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 793 occupations in California.