If you’re an aspiring or practicing occupational therapist (OT), you may wonder what non-clinical occupational therapy jobs are available rather than traditional occupational therapy specializations. You might be surprised to learn that there are many careers in occupational therapy for professionals who seek a role beyond a school or clinic.
Beyond the traditional roles and responsibilities associated with the question “What does an OT do,” non-clinical jobs for occupational therapists include practice owners, independent contractors, consultants, media gurus, educators and more. Pursuing an independent path allows you to leverage your clinical experience and training to create your dream career as an OT. Exploring non-traditional occupational therapy roles will enable you to stay connected to the profession while letting your passion shape your career path.
A creative career can help you take more control of your income, avoid burnout and find new opportunities to expand and advance your career. Let’s review examples of non-clinical OT jobs.
We cover the following alternative jobs for occupational therapists:
Entreprenurial Careers
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) promotes the idea of OT entrepreneurship. AOTA advocates that entrepreneurship offers occupational therapy practitioners diverse opportunities—from private practice and consulting to telehealth, online businesses and product creation—to make a meaningful impact in their communities.1
When it comes to non-clinical occupational therapy jobs, entrepreneurship is a good fit for those with an eye for opportunity and a tolerance for risk. You can ease into it gradually, maintaining your day job as long as it aligns with your goals.
1. Start Your OT Practice
Starting your private practice may be easier than you think. You can launch it from your home with low overhead, especially if you’re treating patients in their homes or workplace.
If you’re interested, once you have the resources and the business know-how, you can establish a clinic where clients come to you. Your clinic could evolve into a multi-therapist practice staffed by OTs or other rehabilitation practitioners.
When you start your own practice, you can choose to become a holistic OT who focuses on integrating holistic therapies into traditional OT practice.2
In terms of pursuing this non-clinical OT job, here are a few resources to help you get started:
- Start (and Grow) Your OT Business by Doug Vestal and Sarah Lyon of OT Potential 3
- The Cash-Based Practice Podcast by Jarod Carter 4
- Occupational Therapy Entrepreneurs group on Facebook, moderated by Faison Consulting 5
Check out our Additional Resources section below.
2. Independent Contractor
One popular option for self-employed OTs is to work as an independent contractor for one or more agencies, schools or healthcare organizations.6 You can work in a clinical capacity, seeing patients on-site. Or, you can choose between several non-clinical OT jobs, such as a pre-service coordinator––someone who facilitates the transition of patients to the appropriate level of care––or a rehab liaison who finds the right patients for inpatient rehab facilities.
Check out the Non-Clinical PT blog to consider the pros and cons of working as an independent contractor.7 Another author lists the benefits and drawbacks of these alternative jobs for occupational therapists:8
Benefits:
- More flexibility
- Higher pay rate
- Broader opportunities to gain new skills and work experience
Drawbacks:
- No steady paycheck
- Minimal or no benefits
- Lack of connection with co-workers
Consulting Careers
The number of non-clinical OT jobs for consulting is limited only by the imagination. Check out some of the potential positions below.
3. Assistive Technology Consultant
This is one of the jobs similar to occupational therapy you might explore. In this role, you can develop or find accessibility technology for people with disabilities.9 You can work in the following areas:10
- Technology for daily living or self-care: Assist individuals with performing activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, eating, taking medication and communicating
- Technology for mobility: Help people with musculoskeletal and neurological systems disorders leverage smart home technology and integrate mobility-related devices
- Technology for sensory impairment: Assist patients who have vision and hearing impairments and help them use tools such as magnifiers, screen readers, voice-activated assistants and more
- Technology to aid with school and work: Provide support for reading, for example, through speech-to-text tools, as well as work activities that involve communication, manipulation and mobility
4. Ergonomic Consultant
Businesses and architects need the expertise of ergonomic consultants who know the principles of ergonomic seating and human-centered business design.11
5. Home or Workplace Modifications Consultant
In these types of non-clinical occupational therapy jobs, you’ll examine home and workplace environments, make recommendations, and perhaps create assistive devices to remove hazards, help people better perform their activities of daily living, and put injury prevention measures in place.9
6. Driver Rehabilitation and Training Consultant
If you’re on the hunt for alternative jobs for occupational therapists, this path is ideal for those who enjoy driving. You will assess driver readiness, implement vehicle modifications and provide training to promote mobility, independence, wellness and active participation in daily life through comprehensive driver and community mobility services.12
7. School Consultant
Schools that don’t have full-time OTs may hire consultants part-time. These non-clinical jobs help educate teachers and work with children who have barriers to participating in school-based activities.13
8. Product Development Consultant
Product development is another one of the more unconventional, non-clinical occupational therapy jobs an OT might pursue. Part of an OT’s training is in creating assistive devices customized for specific client populations.10 OTs have an in-depth knowledge of how individuals with disabilities navigate daily activities, enabling the creation of tailored design solutions to meet their unique needs.
9. Consult in Your Area of Expertise
If you have an area of expertise, such as orthotics, low vision, geriatric care and beyond, you could consult with individuals or clinics in this area.
10. Seating Mobility Specialist
A seating mobility specialist (SMS) creates seating, positioning and mobility solutions for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs. To practice this non-clinical OT job, certification by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) is required.14
11. Recruiter
Recruiting is another option among non-clinical occupational therapy jobs. In this role, you will assess the abilities of potential candidates for specific OT roles. Companies such as Proactive Healthcare Recruiters specialize in helping medical professionals find the right job. Your knowledge of OT would be highly valuable to a recruiting firm.15 Or, if you’re an entrepreneur, consider starting your own recruiting business.
Media Careers
Healthcare entrepreneurs can find many ways to communicate with their audience—whether peers or patients—through alternative jobs for occupational therapists in the media.
12. Blogger
The OT blogosphere hosts several writers, but there’s always room for more. Check out some blogs below, which offer information on becoming an occupational therapist, starting an OT business, working in pediatric or geriatric practice and more.
13. Podcaster
Do you have a favorite OT podcast? Are you opinionated and want to build a non-clinical OT job? Consider launching a podcast. Here are some examples:
14. Social Media Influencer
Like many other industries, content creation has become one of the more sought-after non-clinical occupational therapy jobs that OTs can practice in addition to their career. You can develop a presence on one or several social media platforms—such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok—to share your knowledge and inspire others. If you also have a blog or podcast, you can link to your content through social media to drive more traffic and awareness.
If your channel garners enough engagement, it’s also possible that relevant companies will sponsor you or send you products to promote.
Here are a few examples of OT blogs and individuals with a significant presence on social media:
15. Freelance Writer
If you enjoy writing about OT and other healthcare topics, you can carve out an alternative job for occupational therapists. Meredith Castin, PT, DPT, The Non-Clinical PT,24 offers tips for freelance OT writers in her post “How to Become a Health Writer: For PT, OT, and SLP Professionals.”25
She highlights the pros of this profession, including more predictable hours, flexibility, and the ability to work from home. She also touches on potential drawbacks: this work may be repetitive and less physically active.
If you’re serious about pursuing a career in health writing, you might also consider taking Health Writer Hub’s course Breaking Into Health Writing.26
16. Videographer
If you’re good with a camera and know occupational therapy, making videos is one of several non-clinical OT jobs. Consider creating content centered around OT, PT and speech-language pathology (SLP) rehab techniques and videos that market clinics, products and more.
Take videography courses to improve your skills:
- Udemy: Offers inexpensive courses to help build a variety of videography skills27
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn Learning offers videography courses (subscription required)28
- SkillShare: Offers free videography courses29
17. Web or App Designer
If you’re tech-savvy, design or create smartphone and computer apps and other cutting-edge solutions for OTs and their patients.
Here are a few courses to propel your path to non-clinical OT jobs30:
- Design Lab – UX Academy31
- User Experience Design Fundamentals32
- Real World UX | Learn User Experience & Start Your Career33
Educational Careers
There’s a need for OT educators in colleges and universities—and also in business settings. If you enjoy sharing your knowledge and helping others grow, consider non-clinical occupational therapy jobs in education.
18. Continuing Education Instructor
If you’re interested in alternative jobs for occupational therapists, you can share your knowledge and experience by developing coursework and teaching courses for continuing education companies. Companies such as the following seek to hire passionate, professional instructors:
As a continuing education instructor, teach live or online seminars on ergonomics to companies or workshops on OT principles to grade schoolteachers.
19. Community or Technical College Teacher
Community and technical colleges hire for non-clinical occupational therapy jobs, requiring degrees ranging from associate to doctoral levels, depending on the specific teaching position and their educational requirements.For example, an OT program director in this setting must have a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), whereas occupational therapy assistant (OTA) adjunct instructors may only need an associate degree.37
20. Professor
Depending on the level of ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy program you wish to teach in, you may need a terminal academic degree, the highest degree awarded in a field, to be hired as a professor. For OT, this likely means earning your Doctor of Philosophy (PhD); however, in some institutions, the OTD, the terminal degree for practice, may be appropriate for clinical-track non-clinical OT jobs like faculty. A Doctor of Education (EdD) can also prepare you for a career as a professor.
21. Mentor
As a mentor, advise students during clinical rotations and help new OT practitioners in their first months and years of clinical practice. You can offer feedback, answer questions and serve as a role model for young OTs, helping them become OT leaders and build fulfilling alternative jobs for occupational therapists.
22. Coach
OTs have a wealth of specialized knowledge about wellness and healthy movement that they can leverage in a coaching practice. OT coaching is one of a handful of non-clinical occupational therapy jobs that involve helping clients set realistic and aspirational health goals and stay on track to meet them.
To become a certified health coach, consider earning one of these certifications:
- National Society of Health Coaches (NSHC) Certified Health Coach (CHC) Certification38
- American Council on Exercise (ACE®) Health Coach Certification39
You can also coach fellow OTs. At OTCoach, OTs coach and mentor other OTs to help them achieve their personal and professional goals.
What Else Can I Do as an OT?
The following resources provide additional information and inspiration to aid you in cultivating your ideal path among alternative jobs for occupational therapists.
- OT Potential: A helpful website that serves as a forum for evidence-based OT practice. It includes information about non-clinical occupational therapy jobs and features a podcast, blog and newsletter.22
- Occupational Therapists in Private Practice on LinkedIn40
- Facebook groups:
- The group Non-Clinical Networking for Rehab Professionals is moderated by Meredith Castin of The Non-Clinical PT, and is open to all rehab professionals.41
- Holistic Occupational Therapy is a group of OTs who pair their OT skills with complementary medicine, another form of non-traditional OT work.42
Pursuing a creative career in occupational therapy is a great way to contribute to the field and to find fulfillment in the distinct niche you’ve carved out for yourself.
Learn More About USAHS OT Programs
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers hands-on Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degrees. Practice with mock patients in our state-of-the-art simulation centers and learn anatomy with our high-tech tools. Prepare for clinical practice with patients across the lifespan, as well as advanced roles in research, practice leadership and policymaking. Residential, Hybrid Immersion and Flex (online/weekend) paths are available. We also offer an online Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PPOTD) program designed for working clinicians and healthcare educators, with optional on-campus immersions.
The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program at the Dallas, Texas, campus has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.
Sources
- American Occupational Therapy Association, “Entrepreneurship in OT,” AOTA, 2025,https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-essentials/entrepreneurship.
- Sarah Stromsdorfer, “What is Holistic Occupational Therapy?,” My OT Spot, February 5, 2023,https://www.myotspot.com/holistic-occupational-therapy.
- Doug Vestal and Sarah Lyon, “Start (and Grow) Your OT Private Practice,” OT Potential, October 26, 2023,https://otpotential.com/blog/occupational-therapy-business.
- Jarod Carter, “The Cash-Based Practice Podcast,” The-Cash Based Practice Podcast, 2025,https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cash-based-practice-podcast/id834944772?mt=2.
- Occupational Therapy Entrepreneurs, “Occupational Therapy Entrepreneurs Facebook Group,” Occupational Therapy Entrepreneurs, 2025, https://www.facebook.com/groups/otentrepreneurs/.
- Morgan Kurtz, “Pros and Cons of Independent Contracting as an Occupational Therapist,” Core Medical Group, 2024, https://covalentcareers.com/resources/pros-and-cons-independent-contracting-occupational-therapist/.
- Juliana Bruner, “Employee vs. Physical Therapy Independent Contractor,” The Non-Clinical PT, October 6, 2023, https://thenonclinicalpt.com/employee-vs-contractor-pt-ot-slp/.
- John Steven Niznik, “Pros and Cons of Working as an Independent Contractor,” The Balance, May 25, 2024,https://www.thebalancemoney.com/working-as-an-independent-contractor-4047544.
- Sarah Stromsdorfer, “Alternative Career Paths for Occupational Therapists,” My OT Spot, April 24, 2024,https://www.myotspot.com/alternative-career-paths-occupational-therapists/.
- Brandy Archie, OT Potential, “Assistive Technology and OT: Examples & Funding,” OT Potential, March 31, 2023, https://otpotential.com/blog/assistive-technology.
- LinkedIn, “What does an ergonomic consultant do?,” LinkedIn, 2024, https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/what-does-ergonomic-consultant-do-consulting-advice-xz2df.
- American Occupational Therapy Association, Driving and community mobility toolkit, “Driving rehabilitation program development,” AOTA, 2024, https://www.aota.org/practice/clinical-topics/driving-community-mobility/driving-rehabilitation-program-development.
- Sarah Lyon, OT Potential, “Occupational Therapy in Schools (Guide + Directory),” OT Potential, August 22, 2024, https://otpotential.com/blog/occupational-therapy-in-schools.
- Proactive Healthcare Recruiters, “Why You Need an Occupational Therapist Search Firm,” Proactive Healthcare Recruiters, 2023, https://proactivehealthcarerecruiters.com/recruiting/occupational-therapists/.
- “SMS General Info,” RESNA, https://www.resna.org/Certification/Seating-and-Mobility-Specialist-SMS.
- Gotta Be OT, “Gotta Be OT,” Gotta Be OT, 2024, https://gottabeot.wordpress.com/.
- Rachel Coley, “CanDo Kiddo,” CanDo Kiddo, 2021, http://www.candokiddo.com/.
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- Mandy Chamberlain, “OT Flourish,” OT Flourish, 2022, https://otflourish.com/.
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- The Non-Clinical PT, “How to Become a Health Writer: For PT, OT, and SLP Professionals,” The Non-Clinical PT, January 16, 2024, https://thenonclinicalpt.com/copywriter-non-clinical-career/.
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- Sarah Lyon, “Find Your Dream Non-Clinical OT Job,” OT Potential, May 14, 2024,https://otpotential.com/blog/non-traditional-ot-jobs.
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