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The differences between therapy aides and certified occupational therapy assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified occupational therapy assistant has an average salary of $50,872, which is higher than the $29,312 average annual salary of a therapy aide.
The top three skills for a therapy aide include patients, patient care and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a certified occupational therapy assistant are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.
| Therapy Aide | Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $29,312 | $50,872 |
| Hourly rate | $14.09 | $24.46 |
| Growth rate | 25% | 25% |
| Number of jobs | 50,598 | 70,679 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Associate Degree, 84% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A therapy aide is responsible for monitoring and stabilizing the patients' condition by leading therapy sessions and recording the patients' progress for the doctor's reference. Therapy aides administer quality care plans according to the patients' medical findings and treatment options. They also operate various therapy equipment and machinery, requiring them to inspect the tools regularly to avoid potential hazards and therapy operations delays. A therapy aide must have an excellent understanding of the medical industry to discuss therapy procedures and respond to the patients' inquiries and concerns accurately.
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.
Therapy aides and certified occupational therapy assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Therapy Aide | Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Average salary | $29,312 | $50,872 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $37,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | Mamaroneck, NY |
| Highest paying state | Montana | New York |
| Best paying company | State Bar of Michigan | Staten Island Academy |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a therapy aide and a certified occupational therapy assistant in terms of educational background:
| Therapy Aide | Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Associate Degree, 84% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Occupational Therapy |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between therapy aides' and certified occupational therapy assistants' demographics:
| Therapy Aide | Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.1% Female, 70.9% | Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8% |
| 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, 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 | 8% | 8% |