Career profile · 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.
What the work can involve
- Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.
- Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
- Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
- Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
- Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
- Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Therapy and Counseling
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Thinking Creatively
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 85.6%08/2022 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 46.8%08/2022 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Every day | 97.5%08/2022 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 83.6%08/2022 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Less than half the time | 84.7%08/2022 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Standing | More than half the time | 53.5%08/2022 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Less than half the time | 40.4%08/2022 · sample 20 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 72.2%08/2022 · sample 20 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Accounting software: Bookkeeping software, Financial record software
- Action games: BrainTrain SmartDriver
- Billing and invoicing software: Billing software, Fifth Walk BillingTracker
- Calendar and scheduling software: Scheduling software
- Computer based training software: BrainTrain IVA+Plus, Language arts educational software, Math educational software
- Data base user interface and query software: Database software, FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access, dBASE
- Device drivers or system software: Screen reader software
- Electronic mail software: Email software, Microsoft Outlook
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Graphics software
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Medical software: BrainTrain Captain's Log, Client caseload management software, Laboratory information system LIS, Patient documentation software
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for occupational therapy assistants
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 50 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,250 | $29.93 | 750 |
| Alaska | $53,530 | $25.74 | 60 |
| Arizona | $73,490 | $35.33 | 1,120 |
| Arkansas | $78,940 | $37.95 | 730 |
| California | $81,770 | $39.31 | 3,840 |
| Colorado | $75,340 | $36.22 | 710 |
| Connecticut | $72,780 | $34.99 | 820 |
| Delaware | $78,640 | $37.81 | 220 |
| District of Columbia | $66,390 | $31.92 | 60 |
| Florida | $71,630 | $34.44 | 3,910 |
| Georgia | $75,920 | $36.50 | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $72,710 | $34.96 | 60 |
| Idaho | $65,330 | $31.41 | 210 |
| Illinois | $64,120 | $30.83 | 2,470 |
| Indiana | $66,660 | $32.05 | 1,490 |
| Iowa | $64,140 | $30.84 | 400 |
| Kansas | $65,010 | $31.26 | 660 |
| Kentucky | $65,230 | $31.36 | 500 |
| Louisiana | $66,090 | $31.77 | 760 |
| Maine | $64,270 | $30.90 | 250 |
| Maryland | $82,010 | $39.43 | 710 |
| Massachusetts | $75,040 | $36.08 | 1,410 |
| Michigan | $63,260 | $30.41 | 1,250 |
| Minnesota | $64,920 | $31.21 | 540 |
| Mississippi | $61,650 | $29.64 | 420 |
| Missouri | $66,070 | $31.77 | 1,470 |
| Montana | $72,800 | $35.00 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $63,180 | $30.38 | 210 |
| Nevada | $79,510 | $38.23 | 220 |
| New Hampshire | $67,790 | $32.59 | 150 |
| New Jersey | $74,960 | $36.04 | 1,080 |
| New Mexico | $77,020 | $37.03 | 300 |
| New York | $68,530 | $32.95 | 2,230 |
| North Carolina | $69,390 | $33.36 | 1,590 |
| North Dakota | $60,970 | $29.31 | 130 |
| Ohio | $62,700 | $30.15 | 3,890 |
| Oklahoma | $66,520 | $31.98 | 1,000 |
| Oregon | $76,850 | $36.95 | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $71,590 | $34.42 | 2,560 |
| Rhode Island | $66,710 | $32.07 | 300 |
| South Carolina | $73,740 | $35.45 | 830 |
| South Dakota | $56,180 | $27.01 | 100 |
| Tennessee | $62,420 | $30.01 | 1,300 |
| Texas | $81,500 | $39.19 | 5,610 |
| Utah | $66,080 | $31.77 | 280 |
| Virginia | $74,960 | $36.04 | 1,130 |
| Washington | $77,590 | $37.30 | 720 |
| West Virginia | $60,370 | $29.02 | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $59,960 | $28.83 | 1,050 |
| Wyoming | $62,750 | $30.17 | 80 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 293 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 31-2011.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.