Occupational therapist salary, an excellent incentive to build a career

Occupational therapist salary is an excellent incentive for anyone aspiring to build a career in the field. With the ever-increasing demand for good occupational therapists, the salaries have seen an upward trend over the last few years.

In most developed countries, those in the health care and allied industries are paid very well. Occupational therapists are no exceptions.

To give you a broad range, an occupational therapist in US can earn anywhere between $40,000 annually to over $90,000! This means once you complete your course you may easily start of with $40,000 pay packet.

Of course, you do not have to be stuck with the salary that you are offered initially. As you develop yourself professionally by seeking additional certificate courses and degrees, you can expect to earn more. Some of the most recommended courses from a professional point of view are: COT (certified occupational therapist) or a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

Experience and practical knowledge will also help you in career advancement. Add a post graduate degree to your portfolio and you will get access to lucrative and satisfying opportunities at some of the top medical institutions. This means more recognition, better work opportunities, a more influential position and of course a better salary.

Obviously, Occupational therapist salary varies depending on the state and institution one chooses to work in. Factors like reputation of the training institute, references, etc, also pay a huge role in determining the exact salary package offered to a therapist.

In the United States, for instance, states like California, New Jersey, Maryland, Nevada and Texas, are where occupational therapist salary is the highest!

What's more, occupational therapist salary consists of all the fringe benefits associated with other professions. You are thus entitled to paid holidays, bonus, and educational assistance for pursuing higher studies, health care insurance, basic insurance, benefits of tax compensation, etc. The fringe benefits can add up to more than $20,000 per annum.

Occupational therapist salary negotiation is possible in private institutions. Government health care institutions, on the other hand, have a set salary structure and usually pay as per your qualification and experience. The advantages of joining latter though are better work hours and more credibility.

An occupational therapist also has the flexibility of working at various medical and non-medical facilities. This means not only will you be able to create a comfortable life, but unlike other professionals will also have enough personal time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

If that wasn't all, an occupational therapist can also add to his/her income and job satisfaction by taking guest lectures in occupational therapy institutes and colleges. In fact after one has built a reputation, writing self-help books or e-books is also a great way to earn additional income and build a stronger reputation.

Occupational therapist salary, however, is not the only incentive that the job comes with. The personal satisfaction that you can get from the job is almost as much as if not more than the financial benefits it offers. Helping a person return to normality after a traumatic accident, injury or disease, seeing them smile again after losing hope can be some of the profound and touching experiences that one can have. As an occupational therapist these will be a part of your average workday.