Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

31-2012 Occupational Therapy Aides

Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.


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

National estimates for Occupational Therapy Aides:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Occupational Therapy Aides:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
3,370 7.8 % $ 18.86 $ 39,230 3.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Occupational Therapy Aides:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 11.47 $ 13.63 $ 16.14 $ 22.57 $ 29.79
Annual Wage (2) $ 23,860 $ 28,350 $ 33,560 $ 46,950 $ 61,960


Industry profile for Occupational Therapy Aides:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Occupational Therapy Aides are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Occupational Therapy Aides, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Occupational Therapy Aides:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 1,010 0.10 $ 16.17 $ 33,640
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 800 0.01 $ 18.81 $ 39,120
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 420 0.16 $ 17.31 $ 35,990
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 390 0.03 $ 22.46 $ 46,710
Offices of Physicians 210 0.01 $ 18.21 $ 37,890

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Occupational Therapy Aides:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 420 0.16 $ 17.31 $ 35,990
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 1,010 0.10 $ 16.17 $ 33,640
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 390 0.03 $ 22.46 $ 46,710
Home Health Care Services 150 0.01 $ 25.40 $ 52,830
Offices of Physicians 210 0.01 $ 18.21 $ 37,890

Top paying industries for Occupational Therapy Aides:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Individual and Family Services (8) (8) $ 29.17 $ 60,680
Home Health Care Services 150 0.01 $ 25.40 $ 52,830
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 40 (7) $ 24.64 $ 51,240
Elementary and Secondary Schools 80 (7) $ 22.62 $ 47,050
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 390 0.03 $ 22.46 $ 46,710


Geographic profile for Occupational Therapy Aides:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Occupational Therapy Aides are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Occupational Therapy Aides, see the Create Customized Tables function.



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


States with the highest employment level in Occupational Therapy Aides:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 570 0.05 1.95 $ 14.16 $ 29,450
California 400 0.02 1.02 $ 24.16 $ 50,250
Pennsylvania 320 0.06 2.38 $ 18.78 $ 39,060
Virginia 180 0.05 2.05 $ 17.45 $ 36,290
Louisiana 180 0.10 4.27 $ 12.20 $ 25,380


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


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Occupational Therapy Aides:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 180 0.10 4.27 $ 12.20 $ 25,380
Nebraska 60 0.07 2.75 $ 16.08 $ 33,450
Maine 40 0.06 2.52 $ 22.09 $ 45,960
Pennsylvania 320 0.06 2.38 $ 18.78 $ 39,060
Utah 80 0.05 2.14 $ 23.73 $ 49,350


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


Top paying states for Occupational Therapy Aides:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 70 0.01 0.36 $ 30.31 $ 63,040
Florida 110 0.01 0.51 $ 24.34 $ 50,630
Oklahoma 40 0.03 1.21 $ 24.33 $ 50,600
Tennessee 60 0.02 0.78 $ 24.18 $ 50,290
California 400 0.02 1.02 $ 24.16 $ 50,250



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


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Occupational Therapy Aides:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 190 0.05 2.26 $ 14.60 $ 30,360
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 160 0.06 2.54 $ 20.89 $ 43,450
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 130 0.02 0.94 $ 24.97 $ 51,950
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 100 0.04 1.48 $ 15.05 $ 31,300
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 70 0.03 1.08 $ 13.43 $ 27,940
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 70 0.03 1.07 $ 19.99 $ 41,570
Pittsburgh, PA 60 0.06 2.38 $ 16.86 $ 35,070
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 60 0.02 0.81 $ 19.68 $ 40,930
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 60 0.02 1.03 $ 30.33 $ 63,090
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 50 0.08 3.55 $ 14.47 $ 30,100


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


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Occupational Therapy Aides:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 30 0.12 4.87 $ 11.50 $ 23,920
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 50 0.08 3.55 $ 14.47 $ 30,100
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 40 0.07 3.09 $ 13.04 $ 27,110
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 160 0.06 2.54 $ 20.89 $ 43,450
Pittsburgh, PA 60 0.06 2.38 $ 16.86 $ 35,070
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 190 0.05 2.26 $ 14.60 $ 30,360
Richmond, VA 30 0.05 2.07 $ 18.31 $ 38,080
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 30 0.05 1.98 $ 16.68 $ 34,690
Salt Lake City, UT 30 0.04 1.71 $ 26.04 $ 54,170
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 100 0.04 1.48 $ 15.05 $ 31,300


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


Top paying metropolitan areas for Occupational Therapy Aides:

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 50 0.01 0.24 $ 32.93 $ 68,500
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 60 0.02 1.03 $ 30.33 $ 63,090
Salt Lake City, UT 30 0.04 1.71 $ 26.04 $ 54,170
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 130 0.02 0.94 $ 24.97 $ 51,950
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 50 0.02 0.87 $ 21.92 $ 45,590
St. Louis, MO-IL 30 0.02 1.02 $ 20.97 $ 43,620
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 160 0.06 2.54 $ 20.89 $ 43,450
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 70 0.03 1.07 $ 19.99 $ 41,570
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 60 0.02 0.81 $ 19.68 $ 40,930
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO (8) (8) (8) $ 19.60 $ 40,770


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.

(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 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