Occupational Therapy Aides Salary
Healthcare Support Occupations · 4.3K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$39,160
Median hourly
$19
Average annual
$44,110
Typical range
$29,430–$70,200
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Occupational Therapy Aides is $39,160 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $19 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $29,430 and $70,200 a year. There are roughly 4.3K people employed as occupational therapy aides in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Occupational Therapy Aides.
- Hourly
- $18.83
- Daily
- $151
- Weekly
- $753
- Bi-weekly
- $1,506
- Monthly
- $3,263
- Annual
- $39,160
$39,160 a year is around the 50th percentile for Occupational Therapy Aidess. The median is $39,160.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1North Carolina$66,190
- 2New York$46,220
- 3Washington$45,890
- 4Nebraska$44,980
- 5Connecticut$44,840
- 6New Jersey$44,470
- 7California$43,480
- 8New Mexico$43,170
- 9Massachusetts$40,160
- 10Colorado$40,110
- 11District of Columbia$39,620
- 12Michigan$39,050
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$68,550
- 2Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$46,320
- 3New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$46,260
- 4Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$45,840
- 5San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$44,980
- 6Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$43,270
- 7Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$42,790
- 8Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$41,400
- 9Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$40,200
- 10Omaha, NE-IA$39,950
- 11Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$39,820
- 12Cleveland, OH$38,860
Related job titles
Employers advertise Occupational Therapy Aides roles under these titles.
- 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)
- Rehabilitation Nursing Technician (Rehab Nursing Tech)
- Rehabilitation Services Aide
- Rehabilitation Services Technician (Rehab Services Tech)
- Rehabilitation Therapy Aide (Rehab Therapy Aide)
- Rehabilitation Therapy Technician (Rehab Therapy Tech)
Related occupations
What a Occupational Therapy Aides does
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
- 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.
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
- Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
- Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment, and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.
- Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Occupational Therapy Aides make?
- The median annual wage for Occupational Therapy Aides is $39,160 ($19 per hour). Pay ranges from about $29,430 at the 10th percentile to $70,200 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Occupational Therapy Aides?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $44,110, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Occupational Therapy Aidess the most?
- North Carolina has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $66,190.
- Is Occupational Therapy Aides a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 4.3K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Occupational Therapy Aides do?
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.; 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..