Occupational therapy regulations and license requirements are handled at the state level in Arizona through the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners. In order to obtain a license in occupational therapy, an aspiring occupational therapist in Arizona must:

  • Complete a Board-approved educational program;
  • Provide proof of at least 928 hours of supervised fieldwork;
  • Pass the exam.

A bachelor’s degree takes about 4 years to complete. According to a 2018 report on Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for Arizona, there were approximately 2,120 practicing occupational therapists in the state (with an 11.2% RSE) as of 2018. Their median hourly wage was $44, and their average annual wage was $94,800. This is significantly higher than the average salary of occupational therapists in neighboring Utah, as well as the average national annual income for occupational therapists in the United States. Meanwhile, it is very similar to the average salary of occupational therapists in nearby California and lower than the average salary of occupational therapists in New Mexico and Nevada.

There are no recent reports about the demand for occupational therapists in the state of Arizona. However, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in this field is expected to increase by 18% from 2018-2028 nationwide.

Practitioners in this field can be either an occupational therapist or a certified occupational therapy assistant.

Accredited Occupational Therapy Programs in Flagstaff

Flagstaff is a city in Arizona near the Colorado Plateau and Mount Elden. The average income of an occupational therapist in Flagstaff is $39 per hour and $81,557 per year. The only school with an accredited occupational therapy program in Flagstaff is Northern Arizona University.

Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University Occupational Therapy
Room 6th-floor Building
Health Sciences Education Building
435 N 5th Street Phoenix AZ
Phoenix, AZ 85004
ot.otd@nau.edu

Northern Arizona University offers an Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD). It takes about 8 years to complete a doctorate degree. Graduate tuition at Northern Arizona University is about $11,000. The acceptance rate is 81%.

Accredited Occupational Therapy Programs in Glendale

Glendale is a city north of Phoenix. The average income of an occupational therapist in Glendale is about $42 per hour and $87,368 per year. The only school with an accredited occupational therapy program in Glendale is Midwestern University.

Midwestern University

Occupational Therapy Program
College of Health Sciences
19555 N 59th Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85308
admissaz@midwestern.edu

Midwestern University offers a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT). Master’s degrees take about 6 years to obtain. Tuition for the occupational therapy program at Midwestern University is about $43,880. The acceptance rate is around 50%-60%.

Accredited Occupational Therapy Programs in Mesa

Mesa is a city east of Phoenix. The average income of an occupational therapist in Mesa is about $41 per hour and $85,702 per year. The only school with an accredited occupational therapy program in Mesa is A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Occupational Therapy Department
800 W. Jefferson St.
Kirksville, MO 63501
jgupta@atsu.edu

A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine offers an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program and an Advanced Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Studies program. Master’s programs take about 6 years to complete, and doctorate programs take about 8 years to complete. Tuition is about $33,434, and the acceptance rate is not publicly available information.