Refit
Career overview · SOC 31-2011

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.

Also called: Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant (Acute Care OT Assistant) · Certified Occupational Assistant · Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) · Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) · Licensed Occupational Therapist Assistant (LOTA) · Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA)

Median pay (national)
$68,340
$49,070–$86,930 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
47,910
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+19.2%
~7,200 openings/yr
Typical entry
Associate's degree

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for occupational therapy assistants shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $86,930 versus $49,070 at the bottom 10% — 1.8x. The median of $68,340 leaves roughly 27% 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 +19.2% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 7,200 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 51 states with released data, California pays the most for this role (median $79,420, +16% vs the national median), while South Dakota sits lowest at $51,820 — a 53% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.

Tailor your resume to Occupational Therapy Assistants

Honest tailoring

See how your resume lines up with Occupational Therapy Assistants

Refit re-angles your real experience toward this role using the skills above — and never invents skills you don't have. A no-fabrication gate checks every change before you see it.

Free. No account needed to see your first re-fit.

Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Writing
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Mathematics
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • 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.
  • Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
  • Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
  • Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
  • Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.
  • Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.
  • Attend continuing education classes.
  • Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
  • Evaluate the daily living skills or capacities of clients with physical, developmental, or mental health disabilities.

Tools & technology

  • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • Facebook
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Billing software
  • Bookkeeping software
  • BrainTrain Captain's Log
  • BrainTrain IVA+Plus
  • BrainTrain SmartDriver
  • Client caseload management software
  • Database software
  • dBASE
  • Fifth Walk BillingTracker
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Financial record software
  • Graphics software
  • Laboratory information system LIS

Knowledge areas

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Psychology
  • Education and Training
  • English Language
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Administrative