SOC 29-1122 · Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro

Occupational Therapists Salary in Memphis, TN

The average salary for occupational therapists in Memphis, Tennessee is $98,130 a year ($47.18 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $99,960: half of the 420 people in this job in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 4% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($101,955).

$98,130average per year

$47.18 / hourMedian $99,960Take-home ≈ $77,864

  • $75K10th
  • $84K25th
  • $100KMedian
  • $111K75th
  • $123K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

420people in this job
-4%vs U.S. metro average
#1 of 9Tennessee metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Occupational Therapists pay range in Memphis

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $123,460 or more. The middle half of occupational therapists in Memphis earn between $83,790 and $110,720.

  • $75K10th
  • $84K25th
  • $100KMedian
  • $111K75th
  • $123K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$98,130$8,178$47.18
Median$99,960$8,330$48.06
Entry level (25th percentile)$83,790$6,982$40.28
Experienced (75th percentile)$110,720$9,227$53.23

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

Occupational Therapists salary after taxes in Memphis

On the average salary of $98,130, a single filer in Memphis takes home about $77,864 a year, or $6,489 a month and $2,995 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.

The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in TN$77,864$6,489
Working in MS$74,671$6,223
Working in AR$74,633$6,219

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.

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

Prices in the Memphis area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $98,130 buys what about $106,456 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Memphis ($46,890). A typical home costs $247,229, or 2.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $98,130 is worth in another city

Occupational Therapists salary in other Tennessee cities

Memphis ranks 1st of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Occupational Therapists salaries in Tennessee

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 Memphis, TN.

Occupational Therapists salary in Memphis: questions

How much do occupational therapists make an hour in Memphis?

$47.18 an hour on average, and $48.06 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $83,790, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $77,864 a year ($6,489 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $98,130. Tennessee has no state income tax.

Do occupational therapists earn more in Memphis than elsewhere?

The average here is 4% less 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR (32820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
  • 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 no state income tax.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.66, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.66).

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