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The differences between rehab aides and occupational therapy assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an occupational therapy assistant has an average salary of $50,653, which is higher than the $27,050 average annual salary of a rehab aide.
The top three skills for a rehab aide include patients, rehabilitation and scheduling appointments. The most important skills for an occupational therapy assistant are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.
| Rehab Aide | Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $27,050 | $50,653 |
| Hourly rate | $13.00 | $24.35 |
| Growth rate | 24% | 25% |
| Number of jobs | 41,872 | 39,881 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Associate Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A rehab aide is responsible for supporting the rehabilitation team in performing medical and therapy treatments for patients with disabilities and health conditions. Rehab aides perform administrative and clerical duties as needed, such as updating patients' information on the database, responding to patients' concerns, processing medical payments, administering medications, and assisting rehabilitation staff on medical procedures. They also monitor patients' conditions, create reports, and keep an organized medical chart for reference. A rehab aide should be highly communicative and organizational, especially on attending to each patient's needs under different circumstances with high-quality services.
An occupational therapy assistant is primarily responsible for assisting an occupational therapist when handling patients at a clinic or similar setting. Their duties revolve around gathering patient information and medical history, treating patients using the therapist's care plan, monitoring a patient's progress, and maintaining an accurate and extensive record. There are also instances when an assistant must discuss the conditions and extent of treatment to patients and families, as well as monitor supplies and inventory.
Rehab aides and occupational therapy assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Rehab Aide | Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Average salary | $27,050 | $50,653 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $34,000 | Between $37,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | PeaceHealth |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a rehab aide and an occupational therapy assistant in terms of educational background:
| Rehab Aide | Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Associate Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Occupational Therapy |
| Most common college | Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between rehab aides' and occupational therapy assistants' demographics:
| Rehab Aide | Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6% | Male, 17.2% Female, 82.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 8.6% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 8% |