Colorado is an OT Compact state (joined 2024) with 4.4% flat income tax. From world-ranked SCI/TBI OT at Craig Hospital to adaptive Paralympic OT in Colorado Springs and pediatric OT at Children's Hospital Colorado — earn $1,800–$2,600/week.
Colorado joined the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact) in 2024, which now covers 25+ states. If your home state participates in the OT Compact, you can practice in Colorado using your compact privilege license immediately — no separate CO state OT license required. Check your compact eligibility before your target start date. If your home state is not in the compact, apply for a Colorado OT license through DORA (Colorado Division of Regulatory Agencies).
Colorado imposes a flat income tax of 4.4% on taxable income — no progressive brackets. For travel OTs with proper tax-home documentation, only your taxable pay (not tax-free housing or meal stipends) is subject to CO state income tax. At 4.4% flat, Colorado is significantly lower than California (up to 13.3%), New York (up to 10.9%), or Oregon (up to 9.9%). Colorado also has no city income tax in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, or any other municipality — making CO a financially solid choice for travel OTs.
Top-Ranked Nationally
Craig Hospital — World-Renowned SCI/TBI OT
Craig Hospital in Aurora is one of the world's top rehabilitation hospitals for spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). OT is a core primary service — travel OTs at Craig develop career-defining SCI/TBI credentials.
Nationally Ranked Peds
Children's Hospital CO — Pediatric OT Volume
Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora is a nationally ranked children's hospital with a large pediatric OT program — sensory integration, developmental OT, and pediatric ortho/neuro OT in high volume.
Colorado Springs Adaptive OT
US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center
The US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs generates unique demand for adaptive sports OT — Paralympic athlete rehabilitation, adaptive equipment assessment, and functional performance OT.
Rock Climbing + Skiing OT
Outdoor Recreation — Hand/Wrist Injury Demand
Colorado's active outdoor population drives unique OT demand — wrist fractures, finger pulley injuries (climbing), shoulder dislocations (skiing), and fine motor deficits after sports trauma. Hand therapy is a premium OT skill here.
Denver 4th Fastest-Growing Metro
Front Range Urban OT Growth
The Denver-Front Range metro is the 4th fastest-growing in the US — expanding hospital systems, outpatient clinics, and home health OT programs continuously absorbing travel OT volume.
HPSA Designated Areas
Rural Western Slope OT Shortages
Colorado's western slope (Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Durango) and mountain communities are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas for OT — travel OTs fill critical gaps in underserved mountain communities.
Updated every 4 hours from live contract database. OT Compact privilege accepted — Craig Hospital, Children's Hospital CO, and Front Range urban OT contracts.
CO OT openings post year-round — ski season OT contracts open in October.
OT Compact makes Colorado one of the fastest states to start. Apply now and be work-ready the moment a Craig Hospital or Children's OT contract posts.
Join CO OT Priority ListAurora, Colorado (Denver Metro)
Aurora / Denver, Colorado (Multiple Sites)
Aurora, Colorado (Denver Metro)
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
$2,000–$2,500/wk
Very HighCraig Hospital is the premier SCI/TBI OT destination in the US. CBIS (Certified Brain Injury Specialist) and CHT experience command premium rates. Travel OT contracts at Craig are competitive and rare.
$1,900–$2,400/wk
Very HighPediatric OT across sensory integration, developmental, and neuro/ortho specialties. SIPT (Sensory Integration and Praxis Test) certification strongly preferred for Children's Hospital CO.
$2,000–$2,500/wk
HighUS Olympic & Paralympic Training Center (Colorado Springs) and adaptive sports programs statewide. CPAM (Certified Practitioner Assistive Mobility) preferred. Unique credential-building opportunity.
$2,100–$2,600/wk
Very HighRock climbing, skiing, and outdoor sports population drives premium demand for CHT (Certified Hand Therapist). Custom splinting, tendon repair rehab, wrist fracture protocols — premium OT skill in CO.
$2,100–$2,600/wk
HighUCHealth Anschutz and Denver Health Level I trauma centers — early mobility, ADL assessment, splinting, and functional cognition evaluation in high-acuity trauma settings.
$1,900–$2,400/wk
HighMountain community and western slope home health OT — shortage areas offer strong pay, unique mountain lifestyle, and meaningful community-based OT practice in HPSA-designated regions.
Wrist fractures, shoulder dislocations, hand/upper extremity
Peak skiing season drives upper extremity OT demand — wrist fractures (Colles' fracture), shoulder dislocations, rotator cuff injuries, and hand trauma. CHT-certified OTs command the highest rates during this period.
Finger pulley injuries, wrist, fine motor rehab
Rock climbing season (especially Eldorado Canyon, Boulder Canyon, Rifle) generates hand and finger OT demand — pulley injuries, TFCC injuries, wrist overuse, and fine motor deficit rehab are the core OT specialties here.
Adaptive/Paralympic OT, SCI/TBI, pediatric, urban Front Range
Craig Hospital SCI/TBI OT, Children's Hospital pediatric OT, US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center adaptive OT, and Front Range urban hospital OT are stable year-round — less seasonal volatility than resort PT.
| Location | Weekly Pay (Total Package) | Housing (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Metro | $2,100–$2,600 | ~$2,000/mo |
| Colorado Springs | $1,900–$2,400 | ~$1,500/mo |
| Craig Hospital (Aurora) | $2,000–$2,500 | ~$1,800/mo |
| Fort Collins | $1,800–$2,300 | ~$1,600/mo |
| Mountain Communities | $2,000–$2,500 | ~$2,200/mo |
| Western Slope | $1,900–$2,400 | ~$1,200/mo |
Pay ranges are estimates based on current contract market data. Actual packages vary by setting, specialty, facility, and certifications.
OT License — OT Compact or Colorado
RequiredColorado is a member of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). Bring your compact privilege license or apply for CO OT licensure through DORA.
BLS (Basic Life Support)
RequiredAHA BLS required at all CO OT facilities. Must be current and valid on your start date.
CHT (Certified Hand Therapist)
Highly PreferredColorado's outdoor sports population drives premium demand for CHT certification. Ski and climbing hand/wrist injury OT is a high-volume specialty in CO. Commands premium pay.
SIPT (Sensory Integration and Praxis Test)
Preferred (Children's Hospital)Children's Hospital Colorado sensory integration OT — SIPT certification is the primary credential for pediatric sensory OT roles at Children's Hospital CO.
CBIS (Certified Brain Injury Specialist)
Preferred (Craig Hospital)Craig Hospital TBI rehabilitation OT — CBIS is the key credential for brain injury OT at Craig. Candidates with CBIS experience are prioritized for Craig OT contracts.
CPAM (Certified Practitioner Assistive Mobility)
Preferred (Adaptive OT)US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center and adaptive sports OT programs — CPAM is the credential of choice for adaptive equipment and assistive mobility OT.
Yes — Colorado joined the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact) in 2024, and the compact now covers 25+ states. Travel occupational therapists who hold a compact privilege OT license from their home compact state can practice in Colorado without obtaining a separate CO OT license. This significantly streamlines the licensing process for travel OTs taking Colorado assignments. If your home state is not in the OT Compact, you will need to apply for a Colorado OT license through the Colorado Division of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Check your compact eligibility before your target start date.
Craig Hospital in Aurora, Colorado is nationally ranked as one of the top specialty rehabilitation hospitals in the US, focused exclusively on spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation. OT is a primary service at Craig — every occupational therapist there specializes in SCI and/or TBI, not general acute care or orthopedic OT. Travel OTs at Craig engage in the full spectrum of SCI/TBI OT practice: ADL retraining, adaptive equipment assessment, upper extremity functional training, cognitive rehabilitation, and community reintegration. CBIS (Certified Brain Injury Specialist) certification is strongly preferred. Craig contracts are competitive — apply early with your neuro OT and CBIS credentials.
Colorado has a flat income tax rate of 4.4% on taxable income — there is no progressive bracket structure. For travel OTs with proper tax-home documentation, only your taxable pay (not tax-free housing or meal stipends) is subject to Colorado state income tax. At 4.4% flat, Colorado is significantly lower than California (up to 13.3%), New York (up to 10.9%), or Oregon (up to 9.9%). Colorado also has no city income tax in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, or any other municipality. For OTs coming from high-tax states, Colorado represents a meaningful increase in take-home pay per assignment.
Yes — the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs is the primary training facility for US Paralympic athletes, and adaptive OT is a core component of Paralympic athlete rehabilitation. Adaptive equipment assessment, assistive technology evaluation, functional performance OT, and adaptive sports programming are all part of the OT work at the USOPTC. CPAM (Certified Practitioner Assistive Mobility) is the preferred credential for adaptive OT roles there. Colorado also has a strong adaptive sports community statewide — National Ability Center at Park City (nearby UT), Adaptive Adventures (Denver), and Challenge Aspen all contribute to year-round adaptive OT demand.
Colorado has two peak seasons for outdoor sports-related OT. Ski season runs November through April — this is the peak for upper extremity OT, particularly wrist fractures (Colles' fracture is the most common ski injury), shoulder dislocations, and rotator cuff injuries requiring OT-directed functional rehabilitation and custom splinting. CHT-certified OTs command the highest rates during ski season. Climbing season runs May through October — rock climbing generates unique hand and finger OT demand: finger pulley injuries, TFCC (triangular fibrocartilage complex) injuries, wrist overuse, and fine motor deficit rehabilitation. CHT certification and hand therapy experience are premium skills for both seasons.
Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) certification commands a significant pay premium for Colorado travel OTs — CHT-certified OTs typically earn $2,100–$2,600/week versus $1,800–$2,200/week for general OT contracts in the same metro area. The premium reflects both the scarcity of CHT-certified travel OTs and the high demand driven by Colorado's outdoor sports population. UCHealth Anschutz hand therapy, Denver Health trauma OT, and ski/climbing community clinic contracts all specifically seek CHT credentials. CHT also opens doors at Craig Hospital upper extremity programs and Children's Hospital hand and fine motor OT roles.
OT Compact makes Colorado one of the fastest states to start. Whether you want world-ranked SCI/TBI OT at Craig Hospital, pediatric OT at Children's Hospital Colorado, adaptive Paralympic OT in Colorado Springs, or CHT-premium ski season hand therapy — CatSol places you in the right Colorado OT assignment.