Occupational Therapist.
Jackson.
$78,000
median salary, 20% below the national average
$64,000 to $88,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Jackson is 21% cheaper than the national average. For Occupational Therapists, that shakes out to a median of $78,000, with the full range spanning $64,000 to $88,000. Practice setting is the primary salary driver, with acute care hospitals and home health paying above outpatient and school-based roles. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Occupational Therapist in Jackson, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $98,340 for Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) in the Jackson, MS metropolitan area, based on 400 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$74,520
25th percentile
$81,210
Median
$98,340
75th percentile
$104,530
90th percentile
$108,750
Workers surveyed
400
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Occupational Therapists (SOC 29-1122) rather than Occupational Therapist specifically. The Jacksonrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1122Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $70,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$51,000
to $62,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$66,000
to $82,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$86,000
to $101,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$98,000
to $121,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $21,000 to the total package.
Base
$78,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$7,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $99,000
How Jackson compares.
Jackson, MS
$78,000
Cost of living: 21% below average
National Average
$98,000
Jackson is $20,000 below
Occupational Therapist salary by city.
Salary by role in Jackson.
What you should know.
The Occupational Therapist landscape in Jackson is not what most salary sites will tell you. Jackson is Mississippi's capital and largest city, with an economy driven by government, healthcare, and energy. The University of Mississippi Medical Center is a major employer. Jackson offers some of the lowest living costs in the country, making even moderate salaries deliver substantial purchasing power. Practice setting is the primary salary driver, with acute care hospitals and home health paying above outpatient and school-based roles. Hand therapy certification commands a notable premium. States with higher Medicaid reimbursement rates and metropolitan areas with greater demand also push compensation upward.
New OTs start around $68,000 to $78,000 depending on setting. Mid-career OTs with specialty certifications reach $88,000 to $100,000. OT directors or program managers in hospital systems can earn $105,000 to $125,000 with administrative and clinical oversight responsibilities. In Jackson, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 21% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. OTs typically receive CEU allowances, student loan assistance programs, and comprehensive health benefits. Some employers offer productivity bonuses tied to billable units, adding $3,000 to $8,000 annually for high-performing therapists. And on the tax side: mississippi's top income tax rate is 5%. Jackson has no city income tax. The very low cost of living means take home pay goes further here than almost any other metro. When someone quotes you $78,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Benchmark against regional healthcare and government pay scales. Jackson employers offer competitive benefits packages to compensate for lower base salaries. The range for Occupational Therapists in Jackson runs from $64,000 to $88,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Physical Therapist in Jackson earns $79,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Jackson is CTO at $237,000
Common questions.
Occupational Therapist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Jackson.
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