Occupational Therapy Aides
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.
Also called: 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)
Median pay (national)
$37,370
$27,970–$65,580 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
5,000
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2.5%
~600 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for occupational therapy aides shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $65,580 versus $27,970 at the bottom 10% — 2.3x. The median of $37,370 leaves roughly 75% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2.5% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 27 states with released data, North Carolina pays the most for this role (median $73,450, +97% vs the national median), while Idaho sits lowest at $24,660 — a 198% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
- Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.
Tools & technology
- MEDITECH software
- Billing software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Scheduling software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Public Safety and Security