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The national median salary for Occupational Therapy Assistants is $72,301 per year ($34.76/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $61,714 and $79,165 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $89,773 per year. There are approximately 51,290 occupational therapy assistants employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+19.2%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
7K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
49K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
13% from new growth87% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Associate's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
21K
$70,820
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
NAICS 623100
10K
$76,780
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
6K
$64,970
Home Health Care Services
NAICS 621600
4K
$77,310
Elementary and Secondary Schools
NAICS 611100
3K
$60,110
Wage range across top 5 industries: $60,110 to $77,310 (29% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$24.76
$51,501
P25
$29.67
$61,714
P50MEDIAN
$34.76
$72,301
P75
$38.06
$79,165
P90
$43.16
$89,773
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average occupational therapy assistants salary?
The national median salary for Occupational Therapy Assistants is $72,301 per year ($34.76/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $61,714 and $79,165 annually.
How much do top-earning occupational therapy assistants make?
The 90th percentile salary for Occupational Therapy Assistants is $89,773 per year ($43.16/hr). The 75th percentile is $79,165 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for occupational therapy assistants?
Entry-level Occupational Therapy Assistants (10th percentile) earn approximately $51,501 per year ($24.76/hr). The 25th percentile is $61,714 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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