# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-assistants
- SOC code: 31-2011.00
- Career family: Healthcare support
- Median annual pay: $72,300 (10th percentile $51,490, 90th percentile $89,780)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +21.5%
- Openings a year: 8,100
- Typical entry education: Associate's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SCR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 42 |
| Investigative (I) | 41 |
| Artistic (A) | 18 |
| Social (S) | 85 |
| Enterprising (E) | 2 |
| Conventional (C) | 54 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 95/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 95/100)
- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 94/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 89/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 87/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 84/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 80/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 80/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 79/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 78/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Time Management, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Active Learning, Instructing

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Psychology, Education and Training, English Language, Therapy and Counseling, Public Safety and Security, Sociology and Anthropology, Administrative, Medicine and Dentistry, Computers and Electronics

## Also called

Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant (Acute Care OT Assistant), Certified Occupational Assistant, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Certified Travel OTA (Certified Travel Occupational Therapist Assistant), Home Health COTA (Home Health Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant), Independent Living Specialist, Licensed Occupational Therapist Assistant (LOTA), Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA), Nursing Facility COTA (Nursing Facility Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5108) (CIP 5108, 1,063 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Connecticut UCONN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-connecticut-uconn-2902) | Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $38,020 | $79,657 | $19,500 |
| [Ohio State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-state-university-main-campus-2000) | Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $45,321 | $73,594 | $19,829 |

## Related careers

- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants): $68,380 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-aides): $35,240 median pay
- [Psychiatric Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-technicians): $45,130 median pay
- [Respiratory Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/respiratory-therapists): $82,280 median pay
- [Acute Care Nurses](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/acute-care-nurses): $97,550 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.