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The differences between certified occupational therapist assistants and occupational therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a certified occupational therapist assistant and an occupational therapist. Additionally, an occupational therapist has an average salary of $75,707, which is higher than the $53,296 average annual salary of a certified occupational therapist assistant.
The top three skills for a certified occupational therapist assistant include patients, home health and patient care. The most important skills for an occupational therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.
| Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant | Occupational Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,296 | $75,707 |
| Hourly rate | $25.62 | $36.40 |
| Growth rate | 25% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 105,405 | 78,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Being a certified occupational therapist assistant (OCA) requires skills in documentation, scheduling, and verbal communication. Occupational therapists need to be equipped with patient services, health care administration, and teamwork. They should know medical technologies, highly dependent, and have knowledge about health promotion and maintenance. Some of the responsibilities of OCAs include helping clients by providing rehabilitative and other services, verifying client information, and confirming the purpose of the treatment. They record the client's progress, billing, and services rendered to be used by the occupational therapist.
An occupational therapist specializes in treating patients who are recovering from illnesses or disabilities to help them adapt and overcome the physical and mental difficulties they face in their daily lives. The responsibilities of an occupational therapist revolve around examining a patient's medical history and conducting different kinds of assessments to determine what type of treatment a patient should receive. Furthermore, an occupational therapist must build rapport with a patient to make them feel at ease and coordinate with their guardian or family to discuss the recommended ways to help the patient adjust and recuperate.
Certified occupational therapist assistants and occupational therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average salary | $53,296 | $75,707 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $70,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Napa, CA | Salinas, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Constellation Health Services | Waters |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a certified occupational therapist assistant and an occupational therapist in terms of educational background:
| Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant | Occupational Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Occupational Therapy | Occupational Therapy |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between certified occupational therapist assistants' and occupational therapists' demographics:
| Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.3% Female, 86.7% | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 9.6% White, 75.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 14% |