Occupational therapists address physical, mental, emotional and developmental needs for clients of all ages. Moreover, occupational therapy jobs are available in a variety of areas including schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient service providers, home health, early intervention and academia.
Doctoral degrees are becoming increasingly necessary in order to meet the complex demands of healthcare. Occupational therapists will need to pursue doctoral education in order to compete and exert leadership in the educational and healthcare services arenas.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics*, employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 16 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Occupational therapists with doctoral degrees can take a leadership role, effecting policies and strategies that help people with a variety of challenges including but not limited to:
*National job opportunities data is based on national medians and figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational outlook handbook.
*Local job opportunities data is based on estimated base pay and figures from Indeed.com.