Career comparison
Occupational Therapist vs. Speech-Language Pathologist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Occupational therapists earn more at the median ($100,330 vs. $97,870), while occupational therapists usually get to work faster (6–7 years of training). Occupational therapists help people do everyday activities after injury, illness or disability. Speech-language pathologists help people with speech, language, voice and swallowing problems.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Occupational Therapist | Speech-Language Pathologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $100,330 ($48.24/hr) | $97,870 ($47.05/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $71,690 – $131,950 | $62,900 – $134,160 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +14.8% (much faster than average) | +16.6% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 10,000 | 12,500 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Master's degree |
| Training time | 6–7 years | 6–7 years |
| Key credential | NBCOT certification (OTR) | CCC-SLP (ASHA) |
| Work setting | OTs work in hospitals, rehab centers, schools, nursing facilities, clinics and patients’ homes.. | SLPs work in schools, hospitals, rehab centers, nursing facilities, private practices and via telehealth.. |
What each job does
Occupational Therapist
- Evaluate patients’ abilities and needs
- Set therapy goals
- Teach daily living skills
- Recommend adaptive equipment
- Suggest home and workplace changes
Speech-Language Pathologist
- Evaluate speech, language and swallowing
- Diagnose communication disorders
- Plan and lead therapy
- Treat swallowing disorders
- Teach communication strategies
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, creative work, working with people, and in-demand. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose occupational therapist if…
- I want to help people live independently
- I’m creative with solutions
- I’m patient
Choose speech-language pathologist if…
- I want to help people communicate
- I’m patient and creative
- I like working with kids or adults
Still torn? Take the Occupational Therapist fit quiz and the Speech-Language Pathologist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, occupational therapist or speech-language pathologist?
Occupational Therapists earn more at the median: $100,330 versus $97,870 for speech-language pathologists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Occupational Therapists typically train faster (6–7 years) than speech-language pathologists (6–7 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects speech-language pathologists to grow +16.6% from 2025–35, compared with +14.8% for occupational therapists.