Work settings

Where occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and OT and PT assistants work, quoted from the Work Environment sections of the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. BLS says occupational therapists work in settings such as hospitals, schools, and outpatient clinics, and physical therapists typically work in private offices and clinics, hospitals, patients’ homes, and nursing homes.

Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.

• Occupational therapists

  Largest employers, median pay by setting, physical demands, and schedules from the BLS occupational therapists page.

• Occupational therapy assistants

  BLS employer lists and median pay by setting for assistants and for aides, kept separate.

• Physical therapists

  Largest employers, median pay by setting, physical demands, and schedules from the BLS physical therapists page.

• Physical therapist assistants

  BLS employer lists and median pay by setting for assistants and for aides, kept separate.

• Speech-language pathologists

  Largest employers, median pay by setting, and schedules from the BLS speech-language pathologists page.

• Working in schools

  IDEA related services, BLS school mentions, and APTA and ASHA on school-based practice.

• Working in early intervention

  IDEA Part C rules for infants and toddlers, and ASHA on early intervention.

• Working in home health

  BLS shares, Medicare.gov home health coverage, and APTA and ASHA on home-based practice.

• Working in hospitals

  BLS hospital shares and wording, and APTA and ASHA on hospital practice.

• Working in nursing homes

  BLS nursing and residential care shares, Medicare.gov SNF coverage, and APTA and ASHA.

• Working in outpatient and private practice

  BLS offices-of-therapists shares, APTA and ASHA on private practice, and Medicare.gov.

• Working in inpatient rehabilitation

  Medicare.gov IRF coverage, the federal IRF therapy and team criteria, and ASHA.

• Working in hospice

  Medicare hospice rules on PT, OT, and SLP, and APTA and ASHA on hospice care.

• Medicare therapy plans of care

  CMS rules for outpatient PT, OT, and SLP plans, certification, and recertification.

• Skilled maintenance therapy

  CMS on the Jimmo Settlement in SNF, home health, and outpatient settings.

• HIPAA for OT, PT, and SLP

  HHS on covered entities and the Privacy and Security Rules.

• Working in private practice

  Medicare’s therapist-in-private-practice rules, APTA Private Practice, and ASHA.

• Mental and behavioral health

  BLS on OTs, APTA’s position on PTs, and ASHA on SLP counseling and referral, quoted separately.

• Therapy at the VA

  VA’s patient-care pages on occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology, quoted separately.

The percentages on these pages are BLS’s published shares of 2025 jobs among the largest employers. Each role page also lists BLS’s May 2025 median annual wages in the top industries for that role. They are national figures and do not describe any one job offer. Pay by state and area is on each BLS page; see also pay and outlook.

Related pages

• Working in schools
• Pay and outlook
• Compare roles
• Career path
• Working in early intervention
• Working in home health
• Working in hospitals
• Working in nursing homes and SNFs
• Working in outpatient clinics and private practice
• Working in inpatient rehabilitation
• Working in hospice
• HIPAA for OT, PT, and SLP
• Skilled maintenance therapy (Jimmo)
• Working in private practice
• Mental and behavioral health
• Therapy at the VA