Occupational Therapy Careers in Utah

OT Employment Trends in Utah

Utah's employment rate for careers in occupational therapy is expected to increase at a substantially higher rate than most other career fields in the state. In addition, more than 1/3 of OTs works part-time.

How to Become an OT in Utah

Utah, like most other states, requires that anyone working in the OT field (e.g. - Occupational Therapists or Occupational Therapy Assistants) must be licensed to practice in the state. Therefore, after a person earns a Master's degree from an accredited OT program in Utah, they must also meet certain criteria, in order to practice in the state of Utah.

REQUIREMENTS:

• OTs in Utah are required to be of good moral character and must have, at least, an undergraduate degree in an occupational therapy program that meets the approval of the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE).
• Occupational Therapists are required to meet certain health and immunization standards, in order to practice occupational therapy in Utah.
• OTs and OTAs must pass a drug screening, criminal background check and successfully complete (and pass) the National Certification Exam provided by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

National Certification Exam Pre-Requisites

• Applicants are required to provide proof of graduation
• Applicants must provide documentation that proves at least 50 hours of OTR-supervised contact in two or more different settings. The 50 hours of fieldwork should include, work, observation and volunteering.
• Applicants are held responsible to ensure that their name matches on all forms, documents and transcripts.
• Applicants need to pay for the exam, prior to taking the test, as well. The exam application takes about three to four weeks to process. If approved, the applicant will be issued an authorization to test or an ATT, which provides information to the applicant about scheduling the exam. Additionally, the NBCOT website offers information and practice tests to applicants who are encouraged to visit the website and/or look over the NBCOT handbook for material that will be on the exam.

OT professionals are eligible to receive their Utah state OT license by filling out the license application, paying a $70 licensing fee (excludes the testing fees) and submit these items along with their NBCOT test score to the Utah OT licensing board.

• The average income for a career as an Occupational Therapist in Utah is reportedly, $72,000 per year.
• Traveling Occupational Therapists in Utah are estimated to make an average of $81,000 per year.
• Occupational Therapists (OTR) that are registered in the state of Utah make approximately $81,000 per year.
• Occupational Therapists who work in one of Utah's Correctional Facilities can make around $50,000 per year.
• OT's who work in the Utah school systems can make between $76,000 and $82,000 per year.
• OT's who with seniors in Utah make an average of $59,000 per year.
• Occupational Therapists who work for Allied Health programs in Utah can make an average of $86,000 per year.
• A Supervisory Occupational Therapist can make an average of $75,000, if they work in Utah.
• Occupational Therapists who specialize in rehab in the state of Utah can earn approximately $82,000 a year.

*According to Indeed.com on December 14, 2010

Wide selections of OT careers are available in Utah with opportunities to work at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Intermountain Medical Center, the University of Utah Health Care and Saint Mark's Hospital in Utah.