New York is not the highest paying state for OT, but it is in the top 10. More therapists work in New York than any other state.
The average mean wage for Occupational Therapy in the State of New York is $91,170 per year (bls.gov), but of course it depends on the city, position, and job type.
Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about OT salary in New York.
Cities in New York with the highest salary
The average Therapy salary in the US is $86,280. The top 3 highest paying states are Nevada ($100,970), New Jersey ($96,600), and California ($95,160). Learn more about OT salary in California here.
If you look at OT salaries in New York, you will find that the highest paying cities are New York and Newark with an annual mean wage of $98,080 per year. That’s $47.15 per hour and much higher than the national average.
Highest paying cities ranked highest to lowest
Below are the highest paying cities in New York.
New york – $98,080
Manhattan – $$98,080
Newark – $98,080
Kingston – $89,250
Utica – $85,540
Rome – $85,540
Syracuse – $82,280
Naples, Geneva (Central East) – $80,310
Rochester – $78,280
Elmira – $78,010
*PT and OTs in New York make about $5/hour less than Californias who work in similar metropolitan cities.
Cities in New York with the lowest salary
The locations with the lowest salary in NY are going to be areas that have smaller populations, less retirement communities, less hospitals, and more rural areas.
Here is a list of the cities in NY that pay the lowest
- Albany, Troy, Schenectady – $75,130
- Jamestown (Southwest) – $74,660
- Glen Falls – $73,700
- Northern cities $71,910
- Watertown, Fort drum – $64,150
OTA Salary in New York
The mean average salary for an Occupational Therapy Assistant in NY makes $62,220.
The top states for OTA Salary
- California – $73,930
- Nevada – $73,930
- New Jersey – $71,680
- Texas – $69,420
- Connecticut – $68,780
Top NY cities for OTA Salary
- New york – $67,760
- Newark – $67,760
- Utica – $59,650
- Central Eastern cities – $58,050
- Rochester – $57,400
OTA salary ranges from $20-32 per hour with the highest paying jobs in skilled nursing, hospitals, acute rehab, home health and school based pediatrics.
Entry-level OT salary in New York
If you’re a new grad in NY, you can expect to make around $27-45 per hour or about $54-90k per year with an increase of $1/hour every year.
To learn how to increase your salary as a new grad, read my other post here.
OTD Salary in New York
In general, OTDs and OTs make the same salary, unless you work as a graduate professor at a university.
Most California OT graduate professors earn about 68K-81k per year. The salary varies due to full and part-time salary reports.
How much do Pediatric OTs make in New York, NY?
Most pediatric therapists in NY can expect to make between $32 to $38 per hour, but some therapists make much more.
New York City is the highest paying area with Queens and Staten Island making up the highest hourly rates.
Pediatric therapists in Queens make about $38 per hour.
Here are the best settings to work in as a pediatric OT ranked by salary.
- Private practice
- OT consultant
- Hospital (acute care)
- Outpatient
- School-based
- Outpatient pediatric salary sample
- City Hourly Rate
How to increase your OT salary in NY?
Here are a few tips to increase your OT salary in NY.
- Learn how to negotiate your salary
- Work PRN at 2-3 jobs
- Work in a higher pay setting (Acute care)
- Start a side hustle
Why working as a per diem OT is worth it
Is it worth it to work as an OT in New York?
New York is a great place to work as a OT, but there are pros and cons to any place you decide to live.
As a new grad, I decided to live in a location that was more affordable with better pay (Las Vegas) until I could pay off my student loans.
New York has plenty to offer, but it can be challenging to live there unless you’re able to find a higher paying job.
Here’s my list of pros and cons for working in New York City
Pros
- Plenty of OT jobs
- Diverse
- Public transportation
- Shopping
- Great food
- Arts and history
- Greatest city in the world
Cons
- Traffic
- Higher taxes
- Cost of living
- Cold weather
- Pollution (congested areas)
- Less affordable housing
Conclusion
If you’re living in New York, salary can be complicated depending on where you live. If you live in a big city you’ll make more money, but you’ll have to consider the higher cost of living.
If you live in a more rural area, you’ll make less money unless you find a contract position or travel job.
I hope this guide was helpful. To learn how to maximize your OT salary, read my other post here.
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David is the lead editor of OT Focus. He has been practicing as an Occupational Therapist since 2013. He specializes in acute care, hand therapy, and ergonomics.
