State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists is $100,330 a year ($48.24/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 13.8% through 2034, with about 10,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
SOC 29-1122Healthcare Practitioners and TechnicalLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $100,330
- Projected growth
- +13.8%
- Openings a year
- 10,200
- Typical education
- Master's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT), Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS), Mobility Specialist, Orientation and Mobility Instructor (O and M Instructor), Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O and M Specialist), Rehabilitation Teacher.
How much do Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists make?
10th percentile$71,690
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$82,510
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$100,330
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$116,670
Upper quartile
90th percentile$131,950
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $100,330 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $48.24/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $101,280 |
| People employed | 162,450 |
Versus all US occupations
At $100,330, Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists earn 97% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $49,350 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $97,870, this is 3% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $131,950 or more while the bottom 10% earn $71,690, a gap of 1.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 79% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($124,510), but once local prices are taken into account Arkansas leads at $122,341 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,510 | $112,455 | 13,810 |
| Oregon | $112,310 | $108,658 | 1,170 |
| Nevada | $110,520 | $110,543 | 1,080 |
| District of Columbia | $109,170 | $99,335 | 540 |
| Washington | $107,670 | $100,614 | 3,340 |
| Maryland | $106,980 | $101,926 | 2,390 |
| Colorado | $106,720 | $103,559 | 3,390 |
| Arkansas | $106,360 | $122,341 | 2,160 |
| Texas | $106,140 | $109,358 | 13,400 |
| Oklahoma | $104,300 | $118,735 | 1,180 |
Is Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist a growing career?
Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists13.8%
All US occupations3.1%
+13.8% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists to change 13.8% over 2024–2034, roughly 4.5× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 22,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 10,200 openings are projected each year, 6.4% of the 160,000 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Demand for occupational therapists is expected to rise as the size of the older adult population grows. Older adults are more likely than younger people to experience disabilities and limitations in doing everyday tasks. Therefore, more occupational therapists will be needed to help these clients maintain their independence and the ability to perform daily activities.
In addition, occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various conditions and disabilities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral palsy, stroke, or the loss of a limb. Occupational therapy also will continue to be used to treat children and young adults with developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder.
How to become a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
To enter the occupation, occupational therapists typically need a master’s degree in occupational therapy. All states require occupational therapists to be licensed.
| Typical entry-level education | Master's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Considerable preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists.
- Master's Degree56.5%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate21.7%
- Bachelor's Degree17.4%
- Post-Master's Certificate4.4%
What does a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist do?
Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.
Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities. They help clients meet goals to develop, recover, improve, and maintain skills needed for daily living and working.
Day-to-day tasks
- Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.
- Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and proprioceptive information.
- Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.
- Teach self-advocacy skills to clients.
- Provide consultation, support, or education to groups such as parents and teachers.
- Participate in professional development activities, such as reading literature, continuing education, attending conferences, and collaborating with colleagues.
- Obtain, distribute, or maintain low vision devices.
- Collaborate with specialists, such as rehabilitation counselors, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, to provide client solutions.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists work
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 28% |
|---|---|
| Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists | 27% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 13% |
| Home healthcare services | 8% |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | 7% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Learning Strategies4.0/5
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Active Learning3.8/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.9/5
- Instructing3.9/5
- Service Orientation3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.5/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4/5
- Persuasion3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Negotiation3.0/5
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Computer based training software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary3.9
Investigativeprimary3.9
Artistic3.2
Socialprimary6.5
Enterprising2.1
Conventional2.8
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist: frequently asked questions
How much do Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists make?
Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists earn a median of $100,330 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 97% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $48.24/hr. The middle half earn between $82,510 and $116,670. The top 10% earn $131,950 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 56.5% hold master's degree.
Is Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 13.8% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 10,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist do?
Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities. A core O*NET task: write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Development environment software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists the most?
The highest state medians for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists are California ($124,510), Oregon ($112,310), Nevada ($110,520) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Arkansas moves to the top at $122,341.
What personality type suits a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist?
O*NET scores Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists highest on the Social, Realistic and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFP, ESFP, INFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.