In South Africa, a person working as an Occupational Therapist usually earns around R 41,800 per month. That figure quoted above is an average figure, but the salaries usually range from R 20,500 to R65,300. So there you have it. If you would like to make R41,800 a month then you should become an Occupational Therapist.
But what is an Occupational Therapist? What is the nature of the Work? Where do Occupational Therapists Work? What other benefits can come from working as an Occupational Therapist? These Important Questions and more are answered in the paragraphs below.
Occupational Therapist Salary In South Africa Per Month
| Occupational Therapists | Salary Per Month (South Africa) |
| 2 years Less | R24,300 |
| 2- 5 Years | R31,200 |
| 5-10 Years | R43,100 |
| 10 – 15 Years | R53,400 |
| 20 years plus | R61,000 |
Occupational Therapists Salary Range
As we have mentioned before, Occupational therapists typically earn between R20,500 and R65,300 per month in South Africa. The average figure is R41,800, which is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits that come with the job.
Occupational Therapists earn varying amounts, depending on their levels of experience, skills, gender, or location. Below we provide a more detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
The biggest factor that determines the salary of an Occupational Therapist is Experience. An Occupational Therapist who has less than two years of experience typically earns about R24,300 per month.
An Occupational Therapist with between two and five years of experience on the job would be expected to earn about R31,200 per month.
An Occupational Therapist with between five and ten years of experience on the job would be expected to make around R43,100 per month, which is 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
An Occupational Therapist who has anywhere between ten and fifteen years of experience on the job would be expected to make R53,400 per month, which is 24% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
And so on, until we get the figure of R61,000 per month, which is the typical pay for Occupational Therapists with more than 20 years of experience on the job.
The figures posted above represent research done, with most of the data coming from Occupational Therapists who work in the corporate world, or government jobs. If you have your own practice, there is no limit to what you can attain.
Who is an Occupational Therapist?
Occupational Therapists are health care professionals whose area of specialization is occupational therapy and occupational science. Therefore, the work of an Occupational Therapist is to use scientific-based routines to promote a person’s ability to fulfill their daily work and roles. That means an Occupational Therapist helps his patients or clients to perform better at their occupations.
For a person to perform optimally there are many different aspects that contribute to his wellbeing. Some of these aspects include physical, psychological, and social factors. One cannot be promoted without the other- the subject will not function properly.
Therefore, Occupational Therapists are trained in all these aspects of human functioning; they receive an education grounded in anatomical and physiological concepts, they are trained in psychology, and they are well-grounded in the maintenance of health.
What are the Fields Under Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapists work in a variety of fields including; pediatrics, physical rehabilitation, mental health, orthopedics, neurology, low vision therapy, assistive technology, oncological rehabilitation, and geriatrics.
What are some places that Occupational Therapists can Work?
Occupational Therapists can work in healthcare settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, residential care facilities, home health agencies, and also outpatient rehabilitation centers, to mention a few.
Occupational Therapists can also work in school systems. Others can work as consultants for businesses to address employee work-related safety and also to improve productivity.
Many Occupational Therapists are self-employed and they run their own independent practices.
Occupational Therapists are also employed as commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, and Air force branches of the military. In America, Occupational Therapists are part of an elite group of medical practitioners called the Army Medical Specialist Corps.
Occupational Therapists are also a part of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which is a uniformed service, of the United States.
That is what you need to know about Occupational Therapists. Let us now go back and talk more about the Salary Structures of Occupational Therapists in South Africa.
Related:
- Civil Engineer Salary In South Africa
- Biokinetics Salary In South Africa
- Boilermaker Salary At Sasol
Conclusion:
Of course, this article is written as general information. If you are blessed with remarkable talent then you can earn much more than that. Furthermore, companies and government establishments may find themselves in serious need of Occupational Therapists, and may therefore be willing to pay far more than what is the industry average.
Furthermore, as we have stated in the paragraphs above, the amount of experience a person has on the job goes a long way in boosting his earning power. The question persists as to whether Occupational Therapists should set up their own practices or seek to work in a corporate or government setting. It seems that occupational therapists who set up their own practices stand a higher chance of maximizing their talents; earning a reputation for themselves, and making a fortune.