New Zealand 
United Kingdom 
Singapore 
Malaysia 
Canada (Français) 
Australia
Occupational Therapist salary guide Australia 2026
The typical Occupational Therapist salary in Australia is $83,000, with pay ranging from $74,000 at entry level to $98,000 for senior professionals.
Overview
What does an Occupational Therapist earn?
The median salary of Occupational Therapists in Australia is $83,000. Most professionals earn within the range of $74,000–$96,000, moving from $74,000 in early-career positions up to $98,000 as they step into specialised or supervisory roles. Clinical specialisation in areas like paediatrics or neuro-affirming practice often opens up higher earning brackets.
Optional — pick a state first
Median for Occupational Therapist, nationally across Australia.
10th $74,000
25th $83,000
50th (median) $96,000
75th $109,000
90th
Figures above update by state/city. For a full breakdown by seniority, see the table below.
Location
Occupational Therapist salary by city
Location plays a significant role in remuneration for allied health professionals across Australia. While metropolitan centres like Sydney and Melbourne offer steady clinic demand, regional communities in states like Queensland or Western Australia frequently offer competitive packages to attract skilled practitioners.
What drives salary
Factors that affect Occupational Therapist pay
Several key factors shape what you can earn as an Occupational Therapist. Understanding these variables helps you position your skills and negotiate your next package with confidence.
Practitioners with targeted experience in high-demand areas, such as paediatric clinical experience or neuro-affirming practice, often command higher pay rates. Developing deep clinical reasoning skills in complex seating or assistive technology also enhances your earning capacity.
Remuneration can vary depending on whether you operate within public health networks, private practice or the disability sector. In-depth NDIS framework knowledge and aged care experience position you well for premium rates across community providers.
Early-career clinicians build foundational skills in assessment and reporting before progressing into senior casework. Moving into senior or clinical lead positions brings added responsibility for team mentoring, which reflects in higher compensation.
Private practice roles may offer performance-linked bonuses tied to billable hours and client retention. In contrast, community health and non-profit roles often provide stable base salaries with valuable salary packaging options.
Demand for allied health talent outside major metropolitan areas often creates higher earning potential. Regional and rural providers frequently offer relocation allowances and higher base salaries to secure qualified clinicians.
Comparison
How Occupational Therapists compare to related roles
An Occupational Therapist typically earns in line with a Physiotherapist and a Speech Pathologist across clinical and hospital settings. Against an Exercise Physiologist, an Occupational Therapist usually commands higher remuneration due to the specialised reporting and complex assessments required under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), while matching senior Behaviour Support Practitioner rates once managing complex caseloads.
| Role | Range | Relative | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapist | $75,000–$99,000 | $85,000 | |
| Behaviour Support Practitioner | $74,000–$99,000 | $84,000 | |
| Occupational Therapist You are here | $74,000–$96,000 | $83,000 | |
| Speech Pathologist | $74,000–$95,000 | $83,000 | |
| Exercise Physiologist | $70,000–$86,000 | $77,000 |
Employment Hero Job Data
Salary figures are derived from Employment Hero proprietary data. All figures represent base salary only and exclude bonuses, superannuation and other benefits. Last updated October 2026.
Hiring an Occupational Therapist?
Get back to growing your business, not sifting through CVs. No switching tools. Just faster, smarter, AI-powered hiring, fully integrated with your HR system.
