How to Pass the Occupational Therapist Test 2025

Healthcare specialists specializing in occupational therapy and occupational science are known as occupational therapists. Occupational therapists and their assistants increase people’s capacity to carry out everyday tasks and roles using scientific principles and a holistic viewpoint.

An allied health profession called occupational therapy therapeutically utilizes daily tasks or occupations to address physical, mental, developmental, and emotional conditions that impair a patient’s capacity to carry out everyday duties.

• A bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to occupational therapy, such as biology, health science, or psychology, is the greatest preparation for a career. Before enrolling to graduate school, you should complete prerequisite courses if you received your bachelor’s in an unrelated discipline. You must complete your associate’s degree in occupational therapy to work as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) rather than an OT.
• The following action is to complete a graduate program at an approved university. Pursuing an OTD rather than an MOT is advisable if you are interested in clinical practice, advocacy, and leadership responsibilities. An OTD usually takes three years to complete, but an MOT may only take two years if you are enrolled in school full-time. Both degrees are entry-level.
• To obtain a license to practice occupational therapy in the United States, you have to take and pass the National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapy test after finishing either an MOT or an OTD. It’s crucial to check with your state’s occupational therapy regulatory body, as state licensure requirements can differ.
• Depending on your chosen curriculum and school, obtaining a graduate degree in occupational therapy would take two to three years if you already hold a bachelor’s degree. You should budget between 30 and 90 days for preparation and the NBCOT exam.

The median pay for occupational therapists in 2025 was $85,570. That year, the top 25% earned $100,490, while the bottom 25% earned $75,710.

If you attend school full-time, you can anticipate spending six to seven years in school, including four years for an undergraduate degree and two to three years for a graduate degree.

There will be roughly 34,189 occupational therapists working in the US as of February 1, 2025.

The minimal requirement for working as an occupational therapist is a master’s degree, and entrance into occupational therapy degree programs is competitive. The typical length of a master’s degree program is two and a half years.

A physician or medical doctor is not the same as an occupational therapist. They are clinicians, with degrees ranging from bachelor’s to PhD.

Hospitals or occupational therapy clinics employ the majority of occupational therapists. Others work in nursing homes, schools, and home health care. Working with patients may require therapists to spend much time on their feet.

• Get your bachelor’s degree.
• Finish a summer internship.
• Get a graduate degree.
• Think about getting a doctorate.
• Go through the NBCOT test.
• Obtain a state license.
• Take a job at a pediatric OT clinic.
• Obtain certification to practice as an occupational therapist for children.

To design the ideal program for your child to work on, occupational therapists will observe the strengths and challenges of your child. The therapy is tailored to the unique requirements of your kid.

In the US, the average hourly wage for an occupational therapist is $46.71.

The abilities required for daily life are developed, recovered from, improved, and maintained by occupational therapists. Occupational therapy combines physical, mental, and psychological drills to assist patients in doing daily tasks with ease.

You must have completed an authorized graduate school in occupational therapy to take this exam. Thus, all occupational therapists must have at least an MS in Occupational Therapy.

Occupational therapists don’t make medical diagnoses of patients.

In California, the average yearly salary for an entry-level occupational therapist as of February 15, 2025, is $54,607 per year. In case you need a quick pay estimator, that comes out to about $26.25 per hour.

In the US, the average salary for pediatric occupational therapists is $82,293 per year, or $39.56 per hour. The bottom 10% of pediatric occupational therapists make, to be precise, $64,000 annually, while the top 10% earn, on average, $105,000.

Gain a master’s degree in occupational therapy from a recognized program, satisfy the fieldwork requirements, pass the certification exam, and submit an application for licensing.

Occupational and physical therapy are fundamentally different in that the former focuses on helping patients move better while the latter does so by assisting them in daily activities.

If one wants to work as an occupational therapist in the United States, one needs to have either a master’s or a professional doctorate in the field.

In California, prospective practitioners must have a Bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from an approved program to become licensed as occupational therapists. It takes about four years to complete, and you must have at least 24 weeks of job experience.

It would help if you graduated with a Bachelor’s or Master’s in occupational therapy from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Pediatric occupational therapy supports the development of the fine motor, sensory, and visual motor abilities that kids need to function and interact with others while also assisting kids in becoming more independent.

A team of experts, such as physical therapists, speech therapists, social workers, teachers, etc., are frequently formed by an occupational therapist. That team also includes the doctor and the patient.

Occupational therapists typically dress in scrubs, slacks, or a polo shirt and khakis.

With a career in occupational therapy, you can significantly improve the quality of life for your patients. Many occupational therapy patients struggle with their physical and mental health, which makes it challenging for them to engage in daily tasks.

According to a poll on job satisfaction in occupational therapy settings, 67% of non-school and 94% of occupational therapists working in schools rated their overall job satisfaction as good or better.

The Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy is a four-year degree that trains client-centered health professionals concerned with promoting health and well-being.

As of January 26, 2025, the average occupational therapist salary in Texas is $93,582.

Academics, play and leisure, social interaction, self-care skills (ADLs or Activities of Daily Living), and transition/work skills are the main areas of concentration for school occupational therapy practitioners.

Occupational therapists are not permitted to make an autism diagnosis under the occupational therapy scope of practice.

The word “occupational therapy” will be capitalized in the following sentence since it is either a proper name or a title.

The uniforms for qualified occupational therapists and helpers are white and bottle green.

Occupational therapists connect patients to outside organizations, including social services, loan stores for equipment, and intermediate care.

Occupational therapists can assist patients with many of the duties related to medication management, but they cannot prescribe medications or change a doctor’s or pharmacist’s advice.

The majority of occupational therapists are employed by occupational therapy clinics or hospitals.

Occupational therapy helps people who find it challenging to engage in the activities that are important to them due to their health, environment, or social conditions. The occupational therapist will work to determine your strengths and any potential daily living challenges.

Occupational therapy programs can cost anywhere between $65,000 and $200,000 on average.

As of January 26, 2025, the average occupational therapist salary in Illinois is $97,874.

A Master’s degree in special education, education, educational psychology, psychology, human development, early childhood education, occupational therapy, speech/language pathology, physical therapy, social work, or a closely related field is required of applicants, along with two years of relevant work experience.

• Accept on-call shifts. Check with neighborhood services (e.g. schools, skilled nursing facilities, private clinics, home health agencies, etc.)
• Become an advocate for telehealth.
• Work as a consultant in occupational therapy.
• Offer services for home security.
• Work as an OT instructor.

Occupational therapy is one of the more challenging jobs to enter because of the high degree of education certification (Master’s/Doctorate) required to earn a fair living.

An expert and skilled occupational therapist is patient and willing to listen to their patients. In their encounters with clients, they should show empathy, smile, and even strive to use judiciously placed, tasteful humor.

It is believed that OTs are crucial to the COVID-19 response. They were classified as essential vital infrastructure workers by CISA.

From 2025 to 2031, occupational therapist employment is expected to expand by 14%, substantially faster than the average for all occupations. Over the following ten years, there are expected to be, on average, 10,100 opportunities for occupational therapists.

The federal government acknowledges occupational therapists as mental health providers in several contexts, such as forensic facilities and Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs), which may support the case for state recognition of occupational therapy as an MRO.

Although ” occupational ” implies “keeping patients busy,” this couldn’t be further from the truth. Through the patient’s activities, the OT hopes to carry out therapy, which is particularly motivating for the user. Unfortunately, both institutions and governmental authorities undervalue this service.

You must complete the Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS) process to verify your credentials and skills if you received your occupational therapy education outside of Canada (regardless of whether you are a citizen of Canada) and plan to work in a province other than Quebec.

No, an occupational therapist is not a medical professional. Occupational therapists are professionals with bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees.

Occupational therapy cannot undertake the work of physical therapy because physical therapy focuses on increasing the patient’s ability to move their body. In contrast, occupational therapy focuses on improving the patient’s ability to do activities of daily life.

Yes, an occupational therapist’s work from home career involves offering customers online therapy or rehabilitation services.

Regardless of the particular nursing specialty studied, all registered nurses are eligible to apply for positions in occupational health nursing. However, adult and mental health nurses are frequently preferred because they have a more comprehensive range of experience treating adults than RSCN nurses specializing in children’s nursing.

A psychology degree is undoubtedly adaptable, and as a result, many different employment opportunities are available. One such path is occupational therapy. Your psychology degree can be put to exciting use by working as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant.

Making sure that the home environment satisfies both immediate and long-term demands is the expertise of an occupational therapist focusing on housing and equipment provision.

Practitioners of occupational therapy have the authority to launch their own medical enterprise.

Under a Patient Group Direction, occupational therapists may administer Schedule 4 and Schedule 5 Controlled Substances.

Occupational therapists are highly skilled in identifying and helping people who are struggling with mental health issues.

Clients with SPD cannot receive a diagnosis from occupational therapists. However, our occupational therapists (OTs) may offer SPD people a Sensory Diet, which consists of exercises, tools, and approaches to help control their sensory response to adapt to daily stimuli.

Only qualified occupational therapists are permitted to dry needle the upper limb; support staff or occupational therapy assistants are not permitted.

Within the parameters of occupational therapy practice, the OT will provide psychotherapy.

The use of wound dressings and debridement are part of the particular training that OT’s undergo in managing wound care.

Occupational therapy assistants can, of course, get tattoos. However, some employers will demand them to be covered.

Occupational therapists do have the potential to earn six figures.

Occupational therapy sessions including oxygen titration may be necessary for patients receiving oxygen therapy. Although they are not allowed to carry out this controlled act, occupational therapists (OTs) may be delegated to do so.

A full-time occupational therapist may or may not work for an NFL team. Some couples work with local primary sports rehabilitation clinics on an as-needed basis, while others prefer to outsource the task.

Over 30% of occupational therapists are part-time employees.

Occupational therapists can assist patients with many of the duties related to medication management, but they cannot prescribe medications or change a doctor’s or pharmacist’s advice.

Most certainly, assuming you meet the other requirements, yes, depending on the type and nature of the conviction. Some convictions, as defined by law, immediately disqualify a candidate for an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant license.

According to the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, accrediting body approved by the Department of Education, there are presently no authorized entry-level occupational therapy programs delivered wholly online. Many programs, though, offer certain courses—or at least portions of courses—online.

White coats are given to the initial group of occupational therapy students to signify the start of their clinical training.

Numerous graduate healthcare institutions, from physical therapy and occupational therapy degree programs to medical and nursing schools, have a white coat ceremony as a rite of passage for students.

To perform ORP services, all occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists must receive a “National Provider Identification” (NPI) number.

According to a poll on job satisfaction in occupational therapy settings, 67% of non-school therapists and 94% of occupational therapists working in schools both rated their overall job satisfaction as good or better.

Depending on the nursing specialty you pick, yes and no. Occupational therapists make $98,700 a year, while registered nurses make $85,970, according to the BLS.

Subject to meeting the conditions outlined by the Commission, the Board will administer a licensing exam to all applicants for registration to practice occupational therapy at the locations and times designated by the Commission.

A patient may still sue you even if you provide professional services without error. Without occupational therapy liability insurance, you would be forced to cover some liability claims out of your own pocket, which would be costly and dangerous for your company.

Travel occupational therapist exists, and they travel to various hospitals and healthcare institutions and offers treatment for a predetermined time. The average contract lasts 13 weeks. The professional can look for their next opportunity once they’ve finished one deal.

Stethoscopes are not used by occupational therapists in their day-to-day work, although they may be used during initial evaluations to help gather data on a patient’s health.

As an OT in acute care and inpatient rehab, you will help people use the restroom while wiping some bums.

Occupational therapists (OTs) are licensed medical professionals that treat kids in a range of environments, including schools.

Some hospitals and healthcare facilities operate on a shift schedule, necessitating working early morning and late night shifts.

Occupational therapists typically have full-time jobs. To meet the schedules of their patients, they could work evenings or weekends as needed.

Occupational therapists assess people with dementia to identify their abilities, limitations, and areas in which they require assistance (Schaber & Lieberman, 2010). Although it is doubtful that their cognitive performance will be improved, they might show improved function as a result of adaptation or compensation.