Occupational Therapist Salary: A Year, a Week, an Hour
Occupational therapists help people regain independence through daily activities. Understanding their pay means looking at the same figure as a yearly salary, a weekly wage, and an hourly rate. This page uses the latest official data to show where occupational therapist pay sits against the national full-time average.
The National Full-Time Average as a Benchmark
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year. For May 2026, the full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings were $2,083.70, which works out to about $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52). This is the line used on this site. It is an average, not a median, and it covers all full-time adults across all industries.
By comparison, the full-time median earnings for all occupations are about $1,852 per week, or $96,304 a year, based on the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey from August 2025. The all-employees median (including part-time and casual) is about $1,425 per week, or $74,100 a year.
Where Occupational Therapists Sit
According to Jobs and Skills Australia, which draws on ABS data from the Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, the median full-time weekly earnings for occupational therapists is $1,913 per week. That is the median for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate before tax. It translates to about $99,476 a year. The median hourly rate is $50.
Compared to the national full-time average of $2,083.70 per week, occupational therapists earn about $170 less per week on a median basis. However, they earn more than the all-occupations median of $1,852 per week. The gap reflects the mix of public and private sector employment, experience levels, and the fact that 92% of occupational therapists are women, which can influence earnings patterns.
Reading the Same Pay Three Ways
- Yearly: $99,476 (median, before tax)
- Weekly: $1,913 (median, full-time)
- Hourly: $50 (median)
These figures are before tax and before any salary sacrifice. The tax brackets for 2026–27 are: nil up to $18,200; 15% from $18,201 to $45,000; 30% from $45,001 to $135,000; 37% from $135,001 to $190,000; and 45% above $190,000. The Medicare levy of 2% applies before any reductions.
How Does This Compare to Award Minimums?
Occupational therapists are typically covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award or a similar enterprise agreement. The award minimums for health professionals are higher than the support services levels shown in some pay guides. For context, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. Award rates rose by 4.75% from that date. The median occupational therapist hourly rate of $50 is nearly double the minimum wage.
State and Territory Differences
The national full-time average masks variation across Australia. For example, the ACT has the highest full-time average at about $119,090 a year, while Tasmania is lowest at about $96,008. Occupational therapist pay may also vary by state, but the median figure of $1,913 is a national estimate. For a more local view, see States and territories.
Putting Your Own Salary on the Line
If you are an occupational therapist, you can compare your own pay to the national average using the tool on this site. Place a salary on the line to see how it stacks up against the ABS average weekly earnings.
Key Sources
- ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026: Full-time adult average ordinary time earnings $2,083.70 per week.
- Jobs and Skills Australia Occupational Therapists profile: Median full-time earnings $1,913 per week, median hourly $50.
- Fair Work Ombudsman: National minimum wage from 1 July 2026 $26.44 per hour.
Summary
Occupational therapists earn a median of $1,913 per week, which is above the all-occupations median but below the national full-time average. The hourly rate of $50 is well above the minimum wage. For more detail on how earnings are measured, see How the figures are set.