An occupational therapist in Chile earns between CLP 1.0 and 1.5 million gross per month four years after graduating, depending on the institution, according to the Employment and Income Search Tool of Mi Futuro, from the Undersecretariat of Higher Education. The top bracket, CLP 1.4 to 1.5 million, belongs to graduates of Universidad de Chile and Universidad de los Andes.
The tool lists 19 Occupational Therapy programs, almost all at universities, and 15 report income, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.19 million. In public hospitals, occupational therapists belong to the professional staff of the Administrative Statute and earn CLP 1,275,277 to 3,522,228 gross depending on grade. This guide explains how much an occupational therapist earns in Chile in each case, how long it takes to find a job and how it compares with other health degrees.
How much an occupational therapist earns in Chile by university
| Gross income bracket in year 4 | Institutions | Count |
|---|---|---|
| CLP 1.4 to 1.5 million | U. de Chile, U. de los Andes | 2 |
| CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million | U. de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación, U. Santo Tomás, U. Austral de Chile, U. San Sebastián, U. de Viña del Mar, U. Mayor, U. Andrés Bello, U. de las Américas | 8 |
| CLP 1.1 to 1.2 million | U. Central de Chile, U. de La Frontera, U. Autónoma de Chile, U. Católica de Temuco | 4 |
| CLP 1.0 to 1.1 million | IP de Chile | 1 |
| No data | U. de Santiago de Chile, U. de Magallanes, U. de O'Higgins, U. Bernardo O'Higgins | 4 |
Source: Mi Futuro, Occupational Therapy degree (19 programs, 15 with income data), retrieved November 6, 2026. According to the search tool's methodology, income is the average gross monthly income of 2018, 2019 and 2020 graduates in their fourth year after graduation, calculated with Internal Revenue Service (SII) data and expressed in September 2025 pesos. The employment rate is the share of graduates earning at least the minimum wage in their first or second year. Programs with few cases appear as "no data".
More than half of the programs with data are in the CLP 1.2 to 1.3 million bracket, including Andrés Bello, Mayor, San Sebastián, Santo Tomás, Austral and Playa Ancha universities. The only professional institute on the list, IP de Chile, is in the CLP 1.0 to 1.1 million bracket. In the table below you can search for your institution and sort by income or employment:
| Universidad de Chile | 1.4 | 71.4% | 82.4% |
| Universidad de los Andes | 1.4 | 58.8% | 81.3% |
| Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación | 1.2 | 67.1% | 83.7% |
| Universidad Santo Tomás | 1.2 | 55.3% | 74.8% |
| Universidad Austral de Chile | 1.2 | 52.3% | 81.0% |
| Universidad San Sebastián | 1.2 | 48.3% | 68.1% |
| Universidad de Viña del Mar | 1.2 | 48.2% | 77.2% |
| Universidad Mayor | 1.2 | 47.9% | 75.5% |
| Universidad Andrés Bello | 1.2 | 43.5% | 70.2% |
| Universidad de las Américas | 1.2 | 39.4% | 62.4% |
| Universidad Central de Chile | 1.1 | 50.0% | 67.5% |
| Universidad de La Frontera | 1.1 | 45.8% | 60.4% |
| Universidad Autónoma de Chile | 1.1 | 44.3% | 69.6% |
| Universidad Católica de Temuco | 1.1 | 30.3% | 64.9% |
| IP de Chile | 1.0 | 45.6% | 60.9% |
| Universidad de Santiago de Chile | No data | 55.4% | 80.0% |
| Universidad de Magallanes | No data | 55.1% | 86.4% |
| Universidad de O'Higgins | No data | 43.4% | No data |
| Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins | No data | 43.2% | 63.6% |
How much an occupational therapist earns in the public sector
Occupational therapists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, mental health, primary care, schools and programs for older people or people with disabilities. In health services they are governed by the Administrative Statute (Law 18,834) and belong to the professional staff, the same as physical therapists, nurses and nutritionists. The lower the grade number, the higher the pay:
| Grade | Base salary | Total gross monthly pay (no seniority) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | CLP 822,491 | CLP 3,522,228 |
| 7 | CLP 715,163 | CLP 3,039,924 |
| 9 | CLP 613,027 | CLP 2,544,278 |
| 11 | CLP 525,644 | CLP 2,144,971 |
| 13 | CLP 450,639 | CLP 1,795,022 |
| 15 | CLP 386,316 | CLP 1,512,586 |
| 17 | CLP 331,147 | CLP 1,275,277 |
Source: Law 18,834 pay table of the Health Ministry's Undersecretariat of Care Networks, in force since June 2026 with the 1.4% adjustment of Law 21,806 (published by Carlos van Buren Hospital). Amounts for staff enrolled in an AFP pension fund, with no seniority; total pay adds base salary, professional allowance, substitute allowance and other legal components.
The entry grade is set by each service according to the vacancy. Seniority bonuses, zone allowances in remote regions and performance bonuses are added on top. Municipal primary care follows the Primary Care Statute (Law 19,378), with a career scale set by each municipality, and in clinics, private centers and schools pay is agreed with each employer.
Employment of occupational therapists in Chile
View the data as a table
| Average lower bound of year-4 income bracket | CLP 1.19 M |
| Employment rate, year 1 | 49.8% |
| Employment rate, year 2 | 72.8% |
| Programs in the tool | 19 |
| Indicator (Occupational Therapy) | Range across institutions | Simple average |
|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, year 1 | 30.3% (Universidad Católica de Temuco) to 71.4% (Universidad de Chile) | 49.8% |
| Employment rate, year 2 | 60.4% (Universidad de La Frontera) to 86.4% (Universidad de Magallanes) | 72.8% |
| Actual length of studies | 10.5 to 13.5 semesters | 11.6 semesters |
Source: Mi Futuro, own calculation of simple averages. Half of occupational therapists earn above the minimum wage in their first year after graduating, but the figure rises to almost three in four in the second year: entering the job market takes somewhat longer than in Nursing or Medical Technology. The relationship between income and employment by institution is shown in this chart:
View the data as a table
| Employment rate in year 1 | Lower bound of year-4 income bracket (CLP millions) | |
|---|---|---|
| Universidad de Chile | 71.40% | 1.40 |
| Universidad de los Andes | 58.80% | 1.40 |
| Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación | 67.10% | 1.20 |
| Universidad Santo Tomás | 55.30% | 1.20 |
| Universidad Austral de Chile | 52.30% | 1.20 |
| Universidad San Sebastián | 48.30% | 1.20 |
| Universidad de Viña del Mar | 48.20% | 1.20 |
| Universidad Mayor | 47.90% | 1.20 |
| Universidad Andrés Bello | 43.50% | 1.20 |
| Universidad de las Américas | 39.40% | 1.20 |
| Universidad Central de Chile | 50.00% | 1.10 |
| Universidad de La Frontera | 45.80% | 1.10 |
| Universidad Autónoma de Chile | 44.30% | 1.10 |
| Universidad Católica de Temuco | 30.30% | 1.10 |
| IP de Chile | 45.60% | 1.00 |
Occupational therapists compared with other health degrees
| Degree | Average lower bound of year-4 income bracket | Average employment rate, year 1 | Average employment rate, year 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | CLP 1.76 million | 79.3% | 88.3% |
| Medical Technology | CLP 1.66 million | 72.7% | 84.6% |
| Physical Therapy | CLP 1.33 million | 53.1% | 69.2% |
| Occupational Therapy | CLP 1.19 million | 49.8% | 72.8% |
| Nutrition and Dietetics | CLP 1.10 million | 45.2% | 62.0% |
| Speech-Language Therapy | CLP 1.02 million | 42.8% | 61.8% |
Source: Mi Futuro, retrieved November 6, 2026; simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. Occupational Therapy sits in the middle of the table: below Nursing, Medical Technology and Physical Therapy, and above Nutrition and Speech-Language Therapy. To compare, see how much a physical therapist earns, how much a speech-language therapist earns and how much a nutritionist earns.
From gross to net pay for an occupational therapist
For a hospital occupational therapist at grade 15, with total pay of CLP 1,512,586, the legal deductions are the AFP pension contribution (10% plus the fee), the health contribution (7% to Fonasa or the Isapre plan) and single income tax. With a fee of about 1.5%, contributions add up to around 18.5%, leaving about CLP 1.23 million before income tax, which is low at that level (own approximate calculation). For reference, Chile's minimum wage has been CLP 553,553 since May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a newly graduated occupational therapist earn in Chile?
There is no official figure for the first year. Mi Futuro reports income in the fourth year: CLP 1.0 to 1.5 million gross depending on the institution, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.19 million.
How much does an occupational therapist earn in a hospital?
Between CLP 1,275,277 (grade 17) and CLP 3,522,228 (grade 5) gross per month with no seniority, according to the Health Ministry's professional scale in force since June 2026.
Where should you study Occupational Therapy to earn more?
According to Mi Futuro, graduates of Universidad de Chile and Universidad de los Andes are in the top bracket in year 4, CLP 1.4 to 1.5 million.
Is it easy to find work as an occupational therapist?
On average, 49.8% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in year 1 and 72.8% in year 2, according to Mi Futuro.
Does an occupational therapist or a physical therapist earn more?
On average, a physical therapist: the average lower bound for Physical Therapy is CLP 1.33 million in year 4, against CLP 1.19 million for Occupational Therapy, according to Mi Futuro.
