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The differences between certified occupational therapy assistants and staff physical therapy assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a staff physical therapy assistant has an average salary of $51,881, which is higher than the $50,872 average annual salary of a certified occupational therapy assistant.
The top three skills for a certified occupational therapy assistant include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for a staff physical therapy assistant are patients, rehabilitation, and CPR.
| Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | Staff Physical Therapy Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $50,872 | $51,881 |
| Hourly rate | $24.46 | $24.94 |
| Growth rate | 25% | 24% |
| Number of jobs | 70,679 | 127,104 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 84% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants are professionals who work with licensed occupational therapists in providing therapy to patients. This therapy is usually related to the physical or mobility challenges of a patient. Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants help patients retain their skills, improve on their challenges, and eventually recover. They record the patient's progress after every therapy session. They may also help out in creating treatment plans for the patient. Since they spend a lot of time with patients, their inputs and recommendations are valuable in crafting and adjusting the treatment plan.
A staff physical therapy assistant's role is to provide treatments while under the supervision and directives of a physical therapist. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around assisting patients and therapists, documenting all treatment processes, providing care advice to patients and their families, and monitoring a patient's progress, alerting the physician should there be any concerns or unusual behavior. Furthermore, a staff physical therapy assistant may perform clerical duties such as gathering patient information, managing schedules, arranging appointments, answering calls and inquiries, and maintaining records.
Certified occupational therapy assistants and staff physical therapy assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | Staff Physical Therapy Assistant | |
| Average salary | $50,872 | $51,881 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $68,000 | Between $37,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mamaroneck, NY | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Staten Island Academy | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a certified occupational therapy assistant and a staff physical therapy assistant in terms of educational background:
| Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | Staff Physical Therapy Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 84% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Occupational Therapy | Physical Therapy |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Virginia |
Here are the differences between certified occupational therapy assistants' and staff physical therapy assistants' demographics:
| Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | Staff Physical Therapy Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8% | Male, 34.9% Female, 65.1% |
| 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, 6.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.9% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |