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Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with state laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
42,750 | 2.2 % | $ 30.49 | $ 63,420 | 0.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hourly Wage | $ 20.76 | $ 25.79 | $ 30.26 | $ 35.95 | $ 40.43 |
Annual Wage (2) | $ 43,180 | $ 53,640 | $ 62,940 | $ 74,770 | $ 84,090 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Occupational Therapy Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Occupational Therapy Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 19,610 | 2.17 | $ 30.59 | $ 63,620 |
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 7,510 | 0.49 | $ 32.36 | $ 67,300 |
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 4,980 | 0.09 | $ 28.27 | $ 58,810 |
Home Health Care Services | 3,240 | 0.22 | $ 33.18 | $ 69,020 |
Elementary and Secondary Schools | 1,740 | 0.02 | $ 25.38 | $ 52,790 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 19,610 | 2.17 | $ 30.59 | $ 63,620 |
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 1,580 | 0.59 | $ 31.21 | $ 64,910 |
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 7,510 | 0.49 | $ 32.36 | $ 67,300 |
Home Health Care Services | 3,240 | 0.22 | $ 33.18 | $ 69,020 |
Educational Support Services | 220 | 0.12 | $ 27.89 | $ 58,010 |
Top paying industries for Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Home Health Care Services | 3,240 | 0.22 | $ 33.18 | $ 69,020 |
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | 760 | 0.08 | $ 32.91 | $ 68,440 |
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 7,510 | 0.49 | $ 32.36 | $ 67,300 |
Offices of Physicians | 540 | 0.02 | $ 31.61 | $ 65,750 |
Management of Companies and Enterprises | 120 | (7) | $ 31.31 | $ 65,120 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Occupational Therapy Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Occupational Therapy Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ohio | 4,380 | 0.85 | 2.77 | $ 29.81 | $ 62,010 |
Texas | 3,790 | 0.31 | 1.02 | $ 33.37 | $ 69,420 |
Florida | 3,180 | 0.38 | 1.23 | $ 32.47 | $ 67,540 |
New York | 2,620 | 0.30 | 0.98 | $ 29.91 | $ 62,220 |
Illinois | 2,340 | 0.41 | 1.35 | $ 30.99 | $ 64,460 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ohio | 4,380 | 0.85 | 2.77 | $ 29.81 | $ 62,010 |
Rhode Island | 270 | 0.62 | 2.01 | $ 29.91 | $ 62,220 |
Kansas | 650 | 0.49 | 1.59 | $ 29.64 | $ 61,640 |
Connecticut | 750 | 0.49 | 1.58 | $ 33.07 | $ 68,780 |
Wyoming | 120 | 0.47 | 1.54 | $ 27.73 | $ 57,680 |
Top paying states for Occupational Therapy Assistants:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
California | 2,160 | 0.13 | 0.43 | $ 35.55 | $ 73,930 |
Nevada | 350 | 0.28 | 0.91 | $ 35.54 | $ 73,930 |
New Jersey | 650 | 0.17 | 0.56 | $ 34.46 | $ 71,680 |
Texas | 3,790 | 0.31 | 1.02 | $ 33.37 | $ 69,420 |
Connecticut | 750 | 0.49 | 1.58 | $ 33.07 | $ 68,780 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 2,110 | 0.24 | 0.78 | $ 32.58 | $ 67,760 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 1,770 | 0.41 | 1.32 | $ 32.29 | $ 67,160 |
Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 1,020 | 1.04 | 3.39 | $ 30.27 | $ 62,960 |
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 860 | 0.41 | 1.32 | $ 31.42 | $ 65,350 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 730 | 0.13 | 0.41 | $ 34.21 | $ 71,150 |
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 720 | 0.28 | 0.90 | $ 32.36 | $ 67,310 |
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 630 | 0.25 | 0.82 | $ 33.87 | $ 70,450 |
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 630 | 0.61 | 1.99 | $ 30.62 | $ 63,680 |
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 590 | 0.22 | 0.71 | $ 29.66 | $ 61,690 |
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 570 | 0.32 | 1.05 | $ 24.40 | $ 50,750 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Homosassa Springs, FL | 140 | 4.64 | 15.09 | $ 30.93 | $ 64,330 |
Canton-Massillon, OH | 230 | 1.46 | 4.76 | $ 28.11 | $ 58,460 |
Johnson City, TN | 90 | 1.21 | 3.93 | $ 31.18 | $ 64,860 |
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 40 | 1.16 | 3.77 | $ 24.11 | $ 50,140 |
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 220 | 1.14 | 3.70 | $ 29.15 | $ 60,630 |
Johnstown, PA | 50 | 1.12 | 3.64 | $ 26.55 | $ 55,230 |
Laredo, TX | 110 | 1.10 | 3.57 | $ 29.53 | $ 61,410 |
Springfield, OH | 50 | 1.09 | 3.56 | (8) | (8) |
Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 1,020 | 1.04 | 3.39 | $ 30.27 | $ 62,960 |
Pueblo, CO | 60 | 1.03 | 3.36 | $ 26.36 | $ 54,830 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 150 | 0.15 | 0.50 | $ 42.97 | $ 89,380 |
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 40 | 0.16 | 0.51 | $ 41.76 | $ 86,850 |
Visalia-Porterville, CA | 50 | 0.35 | 1.14 | $ 40.56 | $ 84,370 |
Santa Rosa, CA | 30 | 0.16 | 0.52 | $ 40.12 | $ 83,440 |
Salinas, CA | (8) | (8) | (8) | $ 39.96 | $ 83,110 |
Reno, NV | (8) | (8) | (8) | $ 38.09 | $ 79,220 |
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 520 | 0.17 | 0.57 | $ 37.87 | $ 78,780 |
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 70 | 0.24 | 0.77 | $ 37.83 | $ 78,690 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 150 | 0.06 | 0.20 | $ 36.86 | $ 76,660 |
Bakersfield, CA | 30 | 0.11 | 0.34 | $ 36.77 | $ 76,490 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | 240 | 0.78 | 2.54 | $ 27.86 | $ 57,950 |
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 1.33 | 4.32 | $ 33.31 | $ 69,290 |
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 0.90 | 2.93 | $ 28.85 | $ 60,000 |
Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 150 | 0.41 | 1.32 | $ 31.38 | $ 65,270 |
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 130 | 1.09 | 3.55 | $ 31.08 | $ 64,640 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 1.33 | 4.32 | $ 33.31 | $ 69,290 |
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 130 | 1.09 | 3.55 | $ 31.08 | $ 64,640 |
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 0.90 | 2.93 | $ 28.85 | $ 60,000 |
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.84 | 2.73 | $ 32.73 | $ 68,070 |
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | 240 | 0.78 | 2.54 | $ 27.86 | $ 57,950 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Occupational Therapy Assistants:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.32 | 1.06 | $ 41.97 | $ 87,290 |
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $ 41.16 | $ 85,610 |
South Florida nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $ 39.46 | $ 82,080 |
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $ 38.37 | $ 79,820 |
Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.58 | 1.90 | $ 35.45 | $ 73,730 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021