SOC 29-1122 · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro

Occupational Therapists Salary in Riverside, CA

The average salary for occupational therapists in Riverside, California is $118,480 a year ($56.96 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $119,530: half of the 1,110 people in this job in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 16% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($101,955).

$118,480average per year

$56.96 / hourMedian $119,530Take-home ≈ $85,254

  • $86K10th
  • $102K25th
  • $120KMedian
  • $134K75th
  • $150K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

1,110people in this job
+16%vs U.S. metro average
#18 of 23California metros
106cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Occupational Therapists pay range in Riverside

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $86,490 a year or less, while the top 10% make $150,490 or more. The middle half of occupational therapists in Riverside earn between $101,920 and $134,000.

  • $86K10th
  • $102K25th
  • $120KMedian
  • $134K75th
  • $150K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$118,480$9,873$56.96
Median$119,530$9,961$57.47
Entry level (25th percentile)$101,920$8,493$49.00
Experienced (75th percentile)$134,000$11,167$64.42

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Occupational Therapists salary after taxes in Riverside

On the average salary of $118,480, a single filer in Riverside takes home about $85,254 a year, or $7,105 a month and $3,279 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

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Is Riverside a good place for occupational therapists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Riverside area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.4), so the average $118,480 buys what about $111,309 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Riverside ($48,400). A typical home costs $585,378, or 4.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $118,480 is worth in another city

Occupational Therapists salary in other California cities

Riverside ranks 18th of 23 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($137,450).

All Occupational Therapists salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for occupational therapists

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($137,450).

Occupational Therapists salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Occupational Therapists in Riverside, CA.

Occupational Therapists salary in Riverside: questions

How much do occupational therapists make an hour in Riverside?

$56.96 an hour on average, and $57.47 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level occupational therapists salary in Riverside?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $86,490 a year and the 25th percentile is $101,920, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the occupational therapists take-home pay in Riverside?

About $85,254 a year ($7,105 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,480. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do occupational therapists earn more in Riverside than elsewhere?

The average here is 16% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($101,955).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1122; area Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (40140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.62, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.62).

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