Occupational Therapy Aides earn a median of $39,160 per year ($18.83/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 3.6% through 2035, with about 600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 31-2012
- Healthcare Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Occupational Therapy Aide in four numbers
- Median pay
- $39,160a year, or $18.83/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $29KTop 10% $70K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.6%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6004,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20254.4K
- Projected 20354.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 4.4K Projected 2035 4.6K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school36.8%
- Certificate8.7%
- Some college24.3%
- Associate's28.4%
- Professional degree1.8%
Highest education held by occupational therapy aides Segment Value High school 36.8% Certificate 8.7% Some college 24.3% Associate's 28.4% Professional degree 1.8%
Also advertised as: Certified Occupational Rehabilitation Aide (CORA), Direct Service Professional (DSP), Direct Support Professional (DSP), Occupational Rehabilitation Aide, Occupational Therapist Aide (OT Aide), Occupational Therapy Aide (OT Aide).
Pay
How much do Occupational Therapy Aides make?
Every occupational therapy aide in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$39,160
Middle half earn $35,920 to $46,780
- 10th
- $29,430
- 25th
- $35,920
- 75th
- $46,780
- 90th
- $70,200
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $29,430 |
| 25th | $35,920 |
| Median | $39,160 |
| 75th | $46,780 |
| 90th | $70,200 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $39,160
- Median hourly wage
- $18.83/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $44,110
- People employed
- 4,310
Versus all US occupations
At $39,160, Occupational Therapy Aides earn 23% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,820 a year.
Versus healthcare support occupations
Inside the Healthcare Support group, where the middle occupation pays $42,260, this is 7% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $70,200 or more while the bottom 10% earn $29,430, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 7% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
North Carolina pays the most at $66,190, and still leads at $70,172 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Occupational Therapy Aides the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1North Carolina | $66,190 | $70,172 | 250 |
| 2New York | $46,220 | $42,828 | 250 |
| 3Washington | $45,890 | $42,883 | 190 |
| 4Nebraska | $44,980 | $49,921 | 90 |
| 5Connecticut | $44,840 | $43,278 | 110 |
| 6New Jersey | $44,470 | $40,871 | N/A |
| 7California | $43,480 | $39,270 | 330 |
| 8New Mexico | $43,170 | $46,816 | 50 |
| 9Massachusetts | $40,160 | $37,974 | 90 |
| 10Colorado | $40,110 | $38,922 | 40 |
Job outlook
Is Occupational Therapy Aide a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Aides | +3.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Occupational Therapy Aides to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 600 openings are projected each year, 13.6% of the 4,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of occupational therapy assistants and aides is projected to grow 20 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Demand for occupational therapy is likely to grow over the decade in response to the healthcare needs of an aging population.
Older adults are more prone than young people to conditions and ailments, such as arthritis and strokes, that may affect the ability to do everyday activities. Occupational therapy assistants and aides will be needed to help occupational therapists in caring for these patients.
Getting in
How to become an Occupational Therapy Aide
Occupational therapy assistants typically need an associate’s degree from an accredited occupational therapy assistant program. Occupational therapy assistants usually need a state-issued license. Occupational therapy aides typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and are trained on the job.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as occupational therapy aides.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)36.8%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree28.4%
- Some College Courses24.3%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.7%
- First Professional Degree1.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 36.8% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 28.4% |
| Some College Courses | 24.3% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 8.7% |
| First Professional Degree | 1.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Occupational Therapy Aide do?
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.
Occupational therapy assistants help occupational therapists provide treatments and procedures to clients. Occupational therapy aides do select or routine tasks, such as preparing treatment rooms, under the direction of occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistants.
Day-to-day tasks
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
- Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
- Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
- Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
- Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.
- Supervise patients in choosing and completing work assignments or arts and crafts projects.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most occupational therapy assistants and aides work full time, but part-time work is common. Their schedules may include work in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate clients’ schedules.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where occupational therapy aides work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Offices of other health practitioners43%
- Hospitals; state, local, and private30%
- Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Offices of other health practitioners | 43% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 30% |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | 7% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Coordination3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Instructing3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Persuasion2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Coordination | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Billing and invoicing software
- Calendar and scheduling software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Occupational Therapy Aide?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Occupational Therapy Aide |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Social6.0
- Realistic3.9
- Conventional3.7
- Investigative2.5
- Enterprising1.8
- Artistic1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Occupational Therapy Aide
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Community and Social Service
- Healthcare Support
More healthcare support careers
Median annual pay, with occupational therapy aides highlighted
- Occupational Therapy Assistant$72,300
- Physical Therapist Assistant$68,380
- Massage Therapist$58,450
- Dental Assistant$48,070
- Medical Assistant$45,690
- Phlebotomist$45,230
- Nursing Assistant$42,260
- Occupational Therapy Aide$39,160
- Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker$38,150
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $72,300 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $68,380 |
| Massage Therapist | $58,450 |
| Dental Assistant | $48,070 |
| Medical Assistant | $45,690 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 |
| Nursing Assistant | $42,260 |
| Occupational Therapy Aide | $39,160 |
| Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker | $38,150 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Occupational Therapy Aide appears on
Questions
Occupational Therapy Aide: frequently asked questions
How much do Occupational Therapy Aides make?
Occupational Therapy Aides earn a median of $39,160 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 23% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.83/hr. The middle half earn between $35,920 and $46,780. The top 10% earn $70,200 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Occupational Therapy Aide?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Occupational Therapy Aides. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 36.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Occupational Therapy Aide a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Occupational Therapy Aide do?
Occupational therapy assistants help occupational therapists provide treatments and procedures to clients. A core O*NET task: prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Medical software.
Which states pay Occupational Therapy Aides the most?
The highest state medians for Occupational Therapy Aides are North Carolina ($66,190), New York ($46,220), Washington ($45,890) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Occupational Therapy Aide?
O*NET scores Occupational Therapy Aides highest on the Social, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.