How to Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant
Deliver the hands-on therapy that helps patients regain daily living skills, under an occupational therapist's plan. It typically requires an associate degree, with a median salary of $72,300 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$72,300/yr
Middle half
$61,710 to $79,160
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
7,200
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Therapeutic Activities
- Patient Coaching
- Documentation
- Empathy
- Monitoring
Helpful certifications
- COTA (NBCOT certification)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
0/100
Work-life balance
79/100
Stress level
69/100
Related careers
- Psychiatrist$281,870 median
- Physician (Family Medicine)$244,180 median
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)$236,590 median
- Dentist$170,950 median
- Pharmacist$140,910 median
- Optometrist$136,570 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Occupational Therapy Assistant make?
The median pay for an Occupational Therapy Assistant is $72,300 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $61,710 and $79,160 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant?
The usual entry point is an associate degree. Common majors are Occupational Therapy Assisting, Health Sciences, Kinesiology / Exercise Science, Kinesiology, and Exercise Science.
Is Occupational Therapy Assistant a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 7,200 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an Occupational Therapy Assistant use most?
Common skills for this role are Therapeutic Activities, Patient Coaching, Documentation, Empathy, and Monitoring.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).