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Occupational therapy assistant salary
Average occupational therapy assistant salary
$50,653
Understanding Occupational Therapy Assistant Salaries
Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) play a significant role in healthcare, assisting patients in regaining independence through therapeutic activities. As of October 2025, the average salary for OTAs is approximately $50,653 annually, translating to about $24 per hour. Salaries may vary based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific healthcare setting.
Salary Variations
In states like California and New York, OTAs can expect higher salaries compared to other regions. For instance, California often reports salaries exceeding $60,000, reflecting the demand for healthcare professionals in urban areas. Experience also plays a crucial role; OTAs with several years in the field can command higher wages.
Job Opportunities for OTAs
Many OTAs find employment in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and private practices. The job market is projected to grow, offering numerous opportunities for new graduates and seasoned professionals alike. The demand for OTAs is expected to increase, making this a promising career path for those interested in healthcare.
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Where can an Occupational Therapy Assistant earn more?
Occupational therapy assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average occupational therapy assistant salary by state
The average occupational therapy assistant salary in Hawaii, Nevada, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average occupational therapy assistant salary states are Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maryland.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for occupational therapy assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $56,117 | $26.98 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $50,923 | $24.48 |
| 3 | Nevada | $58,665 | $28.20 |
| 4 | Delaware | $55,432 | $26.65 |
| 5 | South Carolina | $49,596 | $23.84 |
| 6 | Colorado | $54,007 | $25.96 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $49,224 | $23.67 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $59,209 | $28.47 |
| 9 | Idaho | $54,940 | $26.41 |
| 10 | Maine | $50,222 | $24.15 |
| 11 | Kansas | $47,378 | $22.78 |
| 12 | Ohio | $51,163 | $24.60 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $51,023 | $24.53 |
| 14 | Oregon | $51,525 | $24.77 |
| 15 | Arizona | $48,845 | $23.48 |
| 16 | Vermont | $48,132 | $23.14 |
| 17 | Montana | $52,168 | $25.08 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $46,382 | $22.30 |
| 19 | California | $55,866 | $26.86 |
| 20 | Washington | $50,788 | $24.42 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $50,409 | $24.24 |
| 22 | Alaska | $50,912 | $24.48 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $46,347 | $22.28 |
| 24 | New York | $50,592 | $24.32 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $46,566 | $22.39 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $54,640 | $26.27 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $46,740 | $22.47 |
| 28 | Missouri | $45,988 | $22.11 |
| 29 | Illinois | $47,356 | $22.77 |
| 30 | Utah | $48,051 | $23.10 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $45,229 | $21.74 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $44,613 | $21.45 |
| 33 | Indiana | $42,730 | $20.54 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $45,293 | $21.78 |
| 35 | Virginia | $45,668 | $21.96 |
| 36 | Texas | $42,850 | $20.60 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $45,044 | $21.66 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $43,865 | $21.09 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $43,338 | $20.84 |
| 40 | Michigan | $44,254 | $21.28 |
| 41 | Florida | $41,326 | $19.87 |
| 42 | Iowa | $43,241 | $20.79 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $42,078 | $20.23 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $39,122 | $18.81 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $37,986 | $18.26 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | $40,039 | $19.25 |
| 47 | Georgia | $42,850 | $20.60 |
| 48 | Maryland | $39,623 | $19.05 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $41,110 | $19.76 |
| 50 | Minnesota | $41,407 | $19.91 |
| 51 | Alabama | $38,888 | $18.70 |
Highest paying cities for occupational therapy assistants
The highest-paying cities for occupational therapy assistants are Urban Honolulu, HI, Providence, RI, and Los Angeles, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $59,199 | $28.46 |
| 2 | Providence, RI | $56,028 | $26.94 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $55,872 | $26.86 |
| 4 | Lewiston, ID | $54,767 | $26.33 |
| 5 | Aurora, CO | $53,957 | $25.94 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $51,627 | $24.82 |
| 7 | Vancouver, WA | $51,347 | $24.69 |
| 8 | Spartanburg, SC | $49,921 | $24.00 |
| 9 | Syracuse, NY | $49,788 | $23.94 |
| 10 | Chandler, AZ | $48,881 | $23.50 |
| 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | $48,067 | $23.11 |
| 12 | Albuquerque, NM | $46,411 | $22.31 |
| 13 | Richmond, VA | $45,561 | $21.90 |
| 14 | Madison, WI | $44,989 | $21.63 |
| 15 | Asheville, NC | $44,774 | $21.53 |
| 16 | Oklahoma City, OK | $43,920 | $21.12 |
| 17 | Amarillo, TX | $43,514 | $20.92 |
| 18 | Sioux City, IA | $43,437 | $20.88 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $42,950 | $20.65 |
| 20 | Anderson, IN | $42,659 | $20.51 |
Occupational therapy assistant salary details
An occupational therapy assistant's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $68,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an occupational therapy assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| 75th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| Average | $50,653 | $4,221 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
Highest paying occupational therapy assistant jobs
The highest paying types of occupational therapy assistants are occupational therapist, staff occupational therapist, and certified occupational therapist assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehab Technician | $28,505 | $2,375 | $13.70 | 27,969 |
| Rehabilitation Aide | $28,284 | $2,357 | $13.60 | 42,701 |
| Music Therapy Internship | $36,844 | $3,070 | $17.71 | 111,846 |
| Physical Therapy Technician | $35,161 | $2,930 | $16.90 | 66,670 |
| Physical Therapy Aide | $31,160 | $2,597 | $14.98 | 99,485 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | $31,070 | $2,589 | $14.94 | 68,832 |
Top companies hiring occupational therapy assistants now:
Which companies pay occupational therapy assistants the most?
Occupational therapy assistant salaries at PeaceHealth and Mercy College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average occupational therapy assistant salary at companies like Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Trilogy Health Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PeaceHealth | $58,218 | $27.99 |
| 2 | Mercy College | $56,469 | $27.15 |
| 3 | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | $56,469 | $27.15 |
| 4 | Trilogy Health Services | $56,425 | $27.13 |
| 5 | St. Ambrose University | $56,219 | $27.03 |
| 6 | University of Nebraska System | $56,043 | $26.94 |
| 7 | Riverview Health | $55,844 | $26.85 |
| 8 | CareOne | $55,644 | $26.75 |
| 9 | Sutter Health | $54,910 | $26.40 |
| 10 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $54,898 | $26.39 |
| 11 | Buckingham | $54,800 | $26.35 |
| 12 | Community College System of New Hampshire | $54,665 | $26.28 |
| 13 | American Senior Benefits | $54,592 | $26.25 |
| 14 | Washington State University | $54,501 | $26.20 |
| 15 | Catholic Health East | $54,485 | $26.19 |
| 16 | Alamogordo Public Schools | $54,413 | $26.16 |
| 17 | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | $54,311 | $26.11 |
| 18 | Prime Healthcare | $54,218 | $26.07 |
| 19 | Dartmouth-Hitchcock | $54,020 | $25.97 |
| 20 | Nashville State Community College | $53,999 | $25.96 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Occupational therapy assistant salary trends
The average occupational therapy assistant salary has risen by $8,772 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average occupational therapy assistant earned $41,881 annually, but today, they earn $50,653 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for occupational therapy assistants over the last decade.
Compare occupational therapy assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average occupational therapy assistant salary over time
Compare occupational therapy assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Occupational therapy assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,700 | $24.35 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $49,500 | $23.80 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $48,500 | $23.30 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $47,700 | $22.95 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | $47,500 | $22.83 | +1.9% |
Recently added occupational therapy assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aegis Therapies | Occupational Therapy Assistant/Cota | Portsmouth, VA | 06/30/2025 | $73,045 |
| Encompass Health Corp | Occupational Therapy Assistant | Memphis, TN | 06/29/2025 | $56,349 |
| Encompass Health Corp | Occupational Therapy Asst | Broken Arrow, OK | 06/29/2025 | $83,480 |
| Encompass Health | Occupational Therapy Asst. | Moreno Valley, CA | 06/29/2025 | $93,915 |
| Encompass Health Corp | Occupational Therapy Asst Pool | Winston-Salem, NC | 06/29/2025 | $85,567 |
| Premier Therapy | Occupational Therapy Assistant-OTA | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/29/2025 | $56,349 |
| Premier Therapy | Occupational Therapy Assistant | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $20,870 |
| Allcare Health | Occupational Therapy Assistant (Cota) Home Health | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $125,220 |
| Actalent | Occupational Therapy Assistant | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $56,349 |
| Encompass Health Corp | Occupational Therapy Assistant | Murrells Inlet, SC | 06/28/2025 | $93,915 |
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