well in the outpatient arena, which is where the majority of PTs work, they typically are paid more than OTs (in my area anyway). in hospitals the salaries may be the same, but i have one friend who does strictly wound care in the hospital setting and is paid a higher salary than the staff OTs, though i'm not sure if that has anything to do with it or not because she is, technically, a "staff PT". not saying this is the norm, just saying i know enough PTs being paid more than their OT peers to be able to say that it isn't always the case that they are paid the same.
edit:
but now that my interest is sparked on the topic.. check out
www.bls.gov/oco (a great and reliable resource for ALL careers).. according to them,
Median annual earnings of occupational therapists were $60,470 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $50,450 and $73,710. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $89,450. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of occupational therapists in May 2006 were:
Home health care services $67,600
Nursing care facilities 64,750
Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists 62,290
General medical and surgical hospitals 61,610
Elementary and secondary schools 54,260
Median annual earnings of physical therapists were $66,200 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $55,030 and $78,080. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $46,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,810. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of physical therapists in May 2006 were:
Home health care services $70,920
Nursing care facilities 68,650
General medical and surgical hospitals 66,630
Offices of physicians 65,900
Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists 65,150
while not a big difference, it's a difference nonetheless which indicates that PTs are paid (slightly) more than OTs in most areas of practice. of course this isn't the case everywhere, but just pointing out that it's not an accepted fact that they are always paid the same.