Why This Matters
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THE MAJORITY OF JOBS IN THIS FIELD REQUIRE GRADUATE SCHOOL
86% of occupational therapy jobs require applicants to have a graduate degree.
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THE U.S. NEEDS 16,100 MORE OF YOU BY 2032
The number of occupational therapy jobs is expected to grow 12% over the next decade.
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POTENTIAL TO EARN OVER $120,000
The average salary for occupational therapists is $93,180, and the top 10% of workers in this field make more than $123,870.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online doctorate in occupational therapy degree programs at top colleges nationwide. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary education. Many of the programs on our list have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), which assesses the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of occupational therapy programs.
We evaluated each school’s program on admission, retention, and graduation rates as well as tuition costs, faculty, reputation, and the resources provided for online students. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online doctorate in occupational therapy degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like U.S. News & World Report, among others, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
- 79 hours to write this article
- 140 universities and colleges we assessed
- 240 education programs we compared
The Top 50 Online Doctorate in Occupational Therapy Programs
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What You Should Know About This Degree
Occupational therapy is often lumped together with physical therapy and speech therapy. Although all three professions support human function, they employ different methods to do so. Occupational therapists assist with daily living functions, physical therapists focus on the movement of the human body, and speech therapists help with communication and swallowing disorders.
Only apply to schools approved by a DOE-recognized accrediting organization, such as the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) or Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). If your school isn’t accredited, you may be unable to access financial aid or transfer credits to another institution if needed.
All states require occupational therapists to be licensed — at a minimum, this means you will need to pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. Some states have additional requirements as well.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online doctorate in occupational therapy programs:
- What tests are required for this online degree? To become a licensed occupational therapist, you will need to take the NBCOT exam. After passing the exam, students earn the title of Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR).
- Am I eligible for this program? To be accepted into a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (DOT) program, you must have a bachelor’s degree, ideally in a related subject such as biology or kinesiology. However, many competitive candidates have master’s degrees or professional experience. Always check a program’s admissions requirements before applying.
As you research programs, you should keep track of any important deadlines or application requirements. This information is generally available online, but you can also find it by contacting a school’s admissions department. If you are pursuing financial aid, be sure to submit your applications on time and research funding opportunities such as scholarships and assistantships.