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The differences between occupational therapists and rehabilitation technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an occupational therapist has an average salary of $75,707, which is higher than the $29,533 average annual salary of a rehabilitation technician.
The top three skills for an occupational therapist include patients, rehabilitation and home health. The most important skills for a rehabilitation technician are patients, rehabilitation, and physical therapy.
| Occupational Therapist | Rehabilitation Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $75,707 | $29,533 |
| Hourly rate | $36.40 | $14.20 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 24% |
| Number of jobs | 78,315 | 31,196 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
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.
A rehabilitation technician is responsible for assisting therapists and other medical personnel on supporting the patients in their daily activities and physical therapy sessions. Rehabilitation technicians provide high-quality care services for the patients by administering medications, accompanying them on medical appointments, and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of all equipment and facilities to prevent hazards within the premises. They may also perform administrative and clerical duties such as updating patients' information on the database, writing reports, processing payments for medical procedures, and maintaining medical charts for reference.
Occupational therapists and rehabilitation technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Occupational Therapist | Rehabilitation Technician | |
| Average salary | $75,707 | $29,533 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $97,000 | Between $23,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salinas, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Waters | Lawrence General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an occupational therapist and a rehabilitation technician in terms of educational background:
| Occupational Therapist | Rehabilitation Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Occupational Therapy | Kinesiology |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between occupational therapists' and rehabilitation technicians' demographics:
| Occupational Therapist | Rehabilitation Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% | Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 8% |