CIP 51.2306 Health Professions

Occupational Therapy/Therapist

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

9,795

2025 · 250 schools

International share

1.3%

130 international students

Bachelor's degrees

480

0.6% international

Master's degrees

4,927

1.5% international

Overview

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a health profession that focuses on helping individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who may be experiencing physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges that hinder their ability to perform daily activities. This field is grounded in the belief that meaningful engagement in purposeful activities is crucial for overall well-being.

OT practitioners assess clients' needs and develop personalized intervention plans aimed at restoring, improving, or maintaining their ability to perform daily tasks. This can include activities related to self-care, work, leisure, and social participation. Techniques may involve the use of adaptive equipment, modifications to environments, and teaching specific skills.

Occupational therapists work in various settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, and clients' homes. They collaborate with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care. The profession also emphasizes the importance of client-centered practice, where the goals and preferences of the client guide the therapeutic process.

To become an occupational therapist in the United States, one typically needs to earn a master's or doctoral degree in occupational therapy and pass a national certification examination. The demand for occupational therapists is growing, as they play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for individuals facing disabilities or health-related challenges. The profession is both rewarding and diverse, offering opportunities to work in numerous specialties and with a wide range of populations.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

5,314 02

4,487 03

3,899 04

3,538 05

3,923 06

3,942 07

4,424 08

4,970 09

5,346 10

5,876 11

6,268 12

6,587 13

6,882 14

7,219 15

7,665 16

8,327 17

8,755 18

9,112 19

9,118 20

9,921 21

11K 22

10K 23

10K 24

9,795 25

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 84% and the international share went from 1.3% to 1.3%.

International share (%)

1 02

2 03

2 04

2 05

2 06

2 07

2 08

1 09

2 10

2 11

1 12

1 13

1 14

1 15

1 16

1 17

1 18

1 19

1 20

1 21

1 22

1 23

1 24

1 25

Graduates by group, 2025

White

65.5%

Asian

7.7%

Hispanic

11.0%

Black

6.1%

Other

8.4%

Intl.

1.3%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 250 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

Rank	School	State	Graduates	International
#8	Duke University	North Carolina	45	0
#12	Columbia University in the City of New York	New York	66	3
#27	University of Southern California	California	121	28
#27	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	North Carolina	27	1
#31	Tufts University	Massachusetts	38	5
#31	New York University	New York	53	5
#34	University of Florida	Florida	53	1
#34	Boston University	Massachusetts	72	9
#34	University of Wisconsin-Madison	Wisconsin	27	0
#44	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	New Jersey	16	0
#44	Ohio State University-Main Campus	Ohio	47	0
#49	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	Washington	21	0
#59	George Washington University	D.C.	28	0
#59	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	Minnesota	47	0
#59	Stony Brook University	New York	40	0
#59	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	Pennsylvania	76	18
#73	Howard University	D.C.	27	0
#73	Binghamton University	New York	4	0
#80	Drexel University	Pennsylvania	68	0
#85	University at Buffalo	New York	40	0
#90	Yeshiva University	New York	10	0
#90	Baylor University	Texas	95	0
#90	Marquette University	Wisconsin	15	0
#95	University of Illinois at Chicago	Illinois	41	2
#95	University of Missouri-Columbia	Missouri	98	1
#100	Florida International University	Florida	44	1
#100	Saint Louis University	Missouri	86	1
#100	Creighton University	Nebraska	122	1
#109	University of New Hampshire-Main Campus	New Hampshire	90	0
#109	Temple University	Pennsylvania	20	0
#121	University of the Pacific	California	37	0
#133	Thomas Jefferson University	Pennsylvania	125	5
#133	University of Vermont	Vermont	16	0
#137	University of Alabama at Birmingham	Alabama	82	1
#137	San Jose State University	California	72	0
#137	Clarkson University	New York	10	0
#137	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	29	2
#137	University of Scranton	Pennsylvania	56	0
#137	James Madison University	Virginia	24	0
#148	University of Kansas	Kansas	46	0
#156	Quinnipiac University	Connecticut	82	0
#156	Florida A&M University	Florida	18	0
#156	Seton Hall University	New Jersey	46	0
#156	Duquesne University	Pennsylvania	57	9
#156	Virginia Commonwealth University	Virginia	43	0
#169	Colorado State University-Fort Collins	Colorado	49	3
#169	Bradley University	Illinois	2	0
#169	DePaul University	Illinois	29	1
#169	Monmouth University	New Jersey	19	0
#169	Touro College	New York	62	0
#179	University of Mississippi	Mississippi	37	0
#179	University of Utah	Utah	44	0
#186	Wayne State University	Michigan	20	0
#191	University of Arkansas	Arkansas	22	0
#191	Georgia State University	Georgia	35	0
#191	Drake University	Iowa	54	0
#191	Hofstra University	New York	36	0
#202	Sacred Heart University	Connecticut	55	1
#202	East Carolina University	North Carolina	23	0
#208	Xavier University	Ohio	3	0
#208	Belmont University	Tennessee	86	0
#219	Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis	Indiana	46	0
#219	New York Institute of Technology	New York	44	0
#219	Gannon University	Pennsylvania	55	0
#227	Russell Sage College	New York	34	0
#227	University of North Dakota	North Dakota	45	0
#227	West Virginia University	West Virginia	36	0
#236	University of Nevada--Las Vegas	Nevada	19	0
#236	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	New Mexico	19	0
#236	Pacific University	Oregon	37	0
#236	Chatham University	Pennsylvania	53	1
#236	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania	29	0
#250	Nova Southeastern University	Florida	42	0
#250	D'Youville University	New York	39	1
#250	Pace University-New York	New York	19	0
#250	University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley	Texas	13	0
#262	University of New England	Maine	33	0
#262	Western New England University	Massachusetts	30	0
#262	Andrews University	Michigan	1	0
#262	University of South Dakota	South Dakota	23	0
#262	University of Texas--El Paso	Texas	2	0
#276	Northern Arizona University	Arizona	47	0
#276	Western Michigan University	Michigan	69	0
#276	Widener University	Pennsylvania	32	0
#276	Marymount University	Virginia	16	0
#288	University of Hartford	Connecticut	17	0
#288	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	Illinois	5	0
#288	University of Indianapolis	Indiana	54	0
#288	Shenandoah University	Virginia	83	0
#288	University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee	Wisconsin	58	0
#299	Utica University	New York	36	2
#299	University of Toledo	Ohio	18	0
#299	Concordia University Wisconsin	Wisconsin	65	0
#308	Maryville University of Saint Louis	Missouri	35	0
#308	Abilene Christian University	Texas	35	0
#317	Kean University	New Jersey	34	0
#317	University of Mary	North Dakota	40	1
#317	Emory & Henry University	Virginia	32	0
#317	Augusta University	Georgia	40	0
#328	East Tennessee State University	Tennessee	16	0
#332	University of South Alabama	Alabama	37	0
#332	Jacksonville University	Florida	18	1
#332	Mercy University	New York	30	0
#332	University of Findlay	Ohio	25	0
#332	Texas Woman's University	Texas	138	1
#342	Missouri State University	Missouri	22	0
#342	Cleveland State University	Ohio	39	0
#342	Lincoln Memorial University	Tennessee	42	0
#342	University of Texas--Tyler	Texas	22	0
#353	Arkansas State University	Arkansas	19	1
#353	University of Michigan--Flint	Michigan	21	1
#365	University of Central Arkansas	Arkansas	47	0
#365	Indiana State University	Indiana	21	0
#365	Northern Kentucky University	Kentucky	4	0
#365	University of Louisiana--Monroe	Louisiana	46	0
#365	The University of Montana	Montana	60	0
#365	Eastern Washington University	Washington	32	0
#376	Barry University	Florida	24	0
#376	Tennessee State University	Tennessee	28	0
#382	Idaho State University	Idaho	23	0
#382	Chicago State University	Illinois	18	0
#382	Governors State University	Illinois	15	1
#382	University of Southern Maine	Maine	18	0
#382	Northeastern State University	Oklahoma	17	0
LAC #100	University of Puget Sound	Washington	43	0
LAC #158	Presbyterian College	South Carolina	19	0
LAC #180	Alabama State University	Alabama	22	0
—	University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences	California	612	2
—	Eastern Kentucky University	Kentucky	129	0
—	Stanbridge University	California	118	0
—	Ithaca College	New York	91	2
—	Elizabethtown College	Pennsylvania	77	0
—	Keiser University	Florida	76	0
—	Medical University of South Carolina	South Carolina	75	0
—	West Coast University-Center for Graduate Studies	California	73	0
—	Misericordia University	Pennsylvania	70	0
—	California State University-Dominguez Hills	California	67	0
—	Lenoir-Rhyne University	North Carolina	67	1
—	Bay Path University	Massachusetts	66	0
—	College of St. Scholastica	Minnesota	66	0
—	Long Island University	New York	64	0
—	Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center	Texas	64	0
—	Brenau University	Georgia	63	0
—	Mount Mary University	Wisconsin	63	0
—	The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston	Texas	62	1
—	Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences	Massachusetts	61	4
—	Eastern Michigan University	Michigan	61	1
—	Grand Valley State University	Michigan	60	0
—	Moravian University	Pennsylvania	59	0
—	Midwestern University-Glendale	Arizona	59	0
—	Dominican University of California	California	58	0
—	Saginaw Valley State University	Michigan	58	1
—	Spalding University	Kentucky	53	0
—	The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio	Texas	50	0
—	Springfield College	Massachusetts	49	0
—	Huntington University	Indiana	47	0
—	St. Catherine University	Minnesota	47	1