2020 Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary Guide

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.

Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary

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Salary

$61.5K

Growth

33%

Bright Outlook

Bright

Green

Occupational Therapy Assistants Job Description

Also known as:

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant-Licensed (COTA-L), School Based Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant, Staff Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant/Licensed (Staff COTA/L), Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA), Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA), Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant/Licensed (COTA/L), Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)

How Much Do Occupational Therapy Assistants Make ? 2020

Percentile	10%	25%	50% (Median)	75%	90%
Annual Wage	$41,730	$52,150	$61,510	$73,190	$82,210
Hourly Wage	$20.06	$25.07	$29.57	$35.19	$39.52

How Much Do Occupational Therapy Assistants Make ? 2020

Percentile

10%

25%

50% (Median)

75%

90%

Annual Wage

$41,730

$52,150

$61,510

$73,190

$82,210

Hourly Wage

$20.06

$25.07

$29.57

$35.19

$39.52

Occupational Therapy Assistants Tasks

Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.
Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.
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.
Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare professionals involved with the care of a patient.
Evaluate the daily living skills or capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.
Attend continuing education classes.
Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect.
Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement, or administer educational, vocational, or recreational programs that restore or enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments.
Teach patients how to deal constructively with their emotions.
Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual or creative arts or games.
Perform clerical duties, such as scheduling appointments, collecting data, or documenting health insurance billings.
Assemble, clean, or maintain equipment or materials for patient use.
Attend care plan meetings to review patient progress and update care plans.
Order any needed educational or treatment supplies.
Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
Design, fabricate, or repair assistive devices or make adaptive changes to equipment or environments.
Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.

What Activities Do Occupational Therapy Assistants Do?

Develop patient therapy programs.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Teach medical procedures or medical equipment use to patients.
Teach basic living or other adaptive skills to patients or caregivers.
Maintain medical records.
Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.
Record vital statistics or other health information.
Assist patients with daily activities.
Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning.
Confer with other professionals to plan patient care.
Administer screening tests to determine abilities or treatment needs.
Attend educational events to update medical knowledge.
Prepare medical reports or documents.
Communicate patient status to other health practitioners.
Develop patient therapy programs.
Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning.
Teach basic living or other adaptive skills to patients or caregivers.
Teach medical procedures to healthcare personnel.
Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
Process medical billing information.
Perform clerical work in medical settings.
Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
Clean medical equipment.
Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
Confer with other professionals to plan patient care.
Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
Move patients to or from treatment areas.
Administer screening tests to determine abilities or treatment needs.
Make patient-assistive devices or device models.

Typical Occupational Therapy Assistants Knowledge?

Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

What Are Typical Occupational Therapy Assistants Abilities?

Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.

What Are Typical Occupational Therapy Assistants Skills? 2020

Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Speaking - Talking to others.
Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

What Are Typical Occupational Therapy Assistants Interests?

Social - Occupations with Social interests frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. Most involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic - Occupations with Realistic interests frequently involve practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

What Is The Projected Employment For Occupational Therapy Assistants ? 2020

Location	2018 Employment	2028 Employment	Percent change	Annual projected job openings
United States	43,800	58,300	33%	7,000

What Is The Projected Employment For Occupational Therapy Assistants ? 2020

Location

2018 Employment

2028 Employment

Percent change

Annual projected job openings

United States

43,800

58,300

33%

7,000

What Is The Required Occupational Therapy Assistants Education & Experience? 2020

Associate's degree
No work experience
No on-the-job training

Occupational Therapy Assistants Schools ?

School	Program Name	Location	Length / Graduates
AdventHealth University	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Orlando, FL	2 years: 25
Albany State University	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Albany, GA	2 years: 19
Allegany College of Maryland	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Cumberland, MD	2 years: 14
Amarillo College	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Amarillo, TX	2 years: 13
American Career College-Anaheim	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Anaheim, CA	2 years: 36
AmeriTech College-Draper	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Draper, UT	2 years: 4
Anoka Technical College	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Anoka, MN	2 years: 1
Arkansas State University-Main Campus	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Jonesboro, AR	2 years: 29
Arkansas Tech University	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Russellville, AR	2 years: 19
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College	Occupational Therapist Assistant	Asheville, NC	2 years: 14 At least one but less than two years: 0

Occupational Therapy Assistants Schools ?

236 United States

School

Program Name

Location

Length / Graduates

AdventHealth University