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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

31-2011 Occupational Therapy Assistants

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.


National estimates for Occupational Therapy Assistants
Industry profile for Occupational Therapy Assistants
Geographic profile for Occupational Therapy Assistants

National estimates for Occupational Therapy Assistants:

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)
41,980 2.6 % $ 30.56 $ 63,560 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Occupational Therapy Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 22.50 $ 24.46 $ 29.68 $ 36.90 $ 38.56
Annual Wage (2) $ 46,810 $ 50,880 $ 61,730 $ 76,740 $ 80,210


Industry profile for Occupational Therapy Assistants:

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 18,860 1.94 $ 29.64 $ 61,650
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 6,840 0.49 $ 33.22 $ 69,090
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 5,020 0.09 $ 28.86 $ 60,030
Home Health Care Services 3,180 0.21 $ 35.50 $ 73,840
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 2,190 0.81 $ 32.98 $ 68,590

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 18,860 1.94 $ 29.64 $ 61,650
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 2,190 0.81 $ 32.98 $ 68,590
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 6,840 0.49 $ 33.22 $ 69,090
Home Health Care Services 3,180 0.21 $ 35.50 $ 73,840
Educational Support Services 370 0.19 $ 27.94 $ 58,120

Top paying industries for Occupational Therapy Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Individual and Family Services 310 0.01 $ 38.66 $ 80,410
Home Health Care Services 3,180 0.21 $ 35.50 $ 73,840
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 510 0.06 $ 34.61 $ 71,990
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 6,840 0.49 $ 33.22 $ 69,090
Management of Companies and Enterprises 170 0.01 $ 33.04 $ 68,720


Geographic profile for Occupational Therapy Assistants:

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.



Map of employment of occupational therapy assistants by state, May 2021


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)
Texas 4,050 0.33 1.11 $ 34.02 $ 70,770
Ohio 3,410 0.66 2.20 $ 29.69 $ 61,760
California 3,200 0.19 0.65 $ 36.10 $ 75,080
Pennsylvania 2,690 0.48 1.62 $ 26.84 $ 55,820
Florida 2,550 0.30 1.00 $ 31.43 $ 65,370


Map of location quotient of occupational therapy assistants by state, May 2021


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 3,410 0.66 2.20 $ 29.69 $ 61,760
Arizona 1,470 0.51 1.71 $ 28.71 $ 59,710
Rhode Island 230 0.50 1.66 $ 29.90 $ 62,190
Pennsylvania 2,690 0.48 1.62 $ 26.84 $ 55,820
Wisconsin 1,280 0.47 1.56 $ 24.88 $ 51,760


Map of annual mean wages of occupational therapy assistants by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Occupational Therapy Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 240 0.18 0.62 $ 37.55 $ 78,100
California 3,200 0.19 0.65 $ 36.10 $ 75,080
Hawaii 80 0.15 0.50 $ 35.25 $ 73,330
New Jersey 640 0.17 0.56 $ 35.03 $ 72,860
Delaware 60 0.13 0.45 $ 34.58 $ 71,930



Map of employment of occupational therapy assistants by area, May 2021


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)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,930 0.46 1.53 $ 31.11 $ 64,700
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,850 0.21 0.72 $ 34.99 $ 72,790
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,180 0.33 1.10 $ 35.86 $ 74,590
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,160 0.55 1.83 $ 28.64 $ 59,570
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,020 0.38 1.29 $ 29.22 $ 60,770
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 880 0.30 1.02 $ 34.24 $ 71,220
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 700 0.27 0.91 $ 32.09 $ 66,760
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 650 0.36 1.21 $ 27.00 $ 56,160
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 580 0.61 2.04 $ 30.62 $ 63,680
Columbus, OH 550 0.54 1.81 $ 31.21 $ 64,920


Map of location quotient of occupational therapy assistants by area, May 2021


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)
Cumberland, MD-WV 60 1.59 5.32 $ 25.43 $ 52,900
Johnstown, PA 60 1.34 4.51 $ 24.28 $ 50,510
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 50 1.31 4.38 $ 25.50 $ 53,040
Lima, OH 60 1.29 4.34 $ 28.51 $ 59,290
Canton-Massillon, OH 190 1.21 4.07 $ 27.85 $ 57,940
Springfield, OH 40 0.94 3.15 $ 28.07 $ 58,390
Pueblo, CO 50 0.88 2.96 $ 28.23 $ 58,720
Wheeling, WV-OH 50 0.88 2.94 $ 27.01 $ 56,170
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 170 0.87 2.92 $ 26.34 $ 54,790
Jonesboro, AR 50 0.81 2.72 $ 32.13 $ 66,830


Map of annual mean wages of occupational therapy assistants by area, May 2021


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)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 200 0.09 0.30 $ 41.14 $ 85,570
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 170 0.19 0.63 $ 37.36 $ 77,720
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 330 0.24 0.79 $ 37.33 $ 77,650
Reno, NV 40 0.18 0.60 $ 37.00 $ 76,970
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 140 0.15 0.49 $ 36.90 $ 76,750
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 80 0.27 0.91 $ 36.34 $ 75,590
Albuquerque, NM (8) (8) (8) $ 36.14 $ 75,180
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,180 0.33 1.10 $ 35.86 $ 74,590
Visalia-Porterville, CA 40 0.29 0.96 $ 35.60 $ 74,050
Raleigh, NC 120 0.19 0.64 $ 35.35 $ 73,520

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) 210 0.66 2.21 $ 27.98 $ 58,200
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 160 0.87 2.90 $ 27.10 $ 56,360
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 150 0.64 2.14 $ 28.80 $ 59,900
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 130 0.87 2.92 $ 29.77 $ 61,930
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 120 0.85 2.85 $ 25.38 $ 52,790

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 130 0.87 2.92 $ 29.77 $ 61,930
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 160 0.87 2.90 $ 27.10 $ 56,360
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 120 0.85 2.85 $ 25.38 $ 52,790
Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area 100 0.84 2.82 $ 29.89 $ 62,160
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 110 0.80 2.68 $ 25.41 $ 52,860

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)
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.29 0.96 $ 35.56 $ 73,970
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.22 0.75 $ 34.20 $ 71,140
North Florida nonmetropolitan area 50 0.40 1.35 $ 33.93 $ 70,580
North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 80 0.67 2.24 $ 33.31 $ 69,280
Mountain North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 1.02 $ 32.42 $ 67,430


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

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.

(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 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022