Occupational Therapist

What the Numbers Say About Occupational Therapist

As of the March 2025 reporting window, 2,185 people work in the Occupational Therapist occupation (OPM code 631) across federal agencies, 0.1% of the 2,289,472-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -0.3% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.

Average tenure in Occupational Therapist runs 9.1 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $116,269 per year, 5.8% above the $109,869 federal civilian average and up 2.7% from the prior period, a broad shift as locality pay tables and grade-level adjustments moved through the workforce.

Code 6, the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, is where the federal government classifies Occupational Therapist alongside 44 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Occupational Therapist postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Inside the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family (45 occupations, 356,984 employees combined), Occupational Therapist holds the #25 spot by headcount, a 0.6% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the top half (69th percentile) of pay among Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group occupations.