Occupational Therapy Assistants Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for occupational therapy assistantss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $70,710 ≈ $34/hr
National median salary $72,300
Total employment 51,290 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +19.2%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 7,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 49,200 → 58,700 (+9,500)
Typical entry education Associate's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$84,690
- Maryland$79,890
- Texas$79,750
- New Jersey$77,640
- Nevada$77,290
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$55,470
- Wisconsin$58,900
- North Dakota$58,980
- Alaska$59,400
- Tennessee$60,550
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $84,690 | $81,770 | $41 | +19.8% | 3,840 |
| 2 | Maryland | $79,890 | $82,010 | $38 | +13% | 710 |
| 3 | Texas | $79,750 | $81,500 | $38 | +12.8% | 5,610 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $77,640 | $74,960 | $37 | +9.8% | 1,080 |
| 5 | Nevada | $77,290 | $79,510 | $37 | +9.3% | 220 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $76,900 | $78,940 | $37 | +8.8% | 730 |
| 7 | Colorado | $76,690 | $75,340 | $37 | +8.5% | 710 |
| 8 | Oregon | $76,610 | $76,850 | $37 | +8.3% | 250 |
| 9 | Washington | $76,310 | $77,590 | $37 | +7.9% | 720 |
| 10 | Delaware | $75,930 | $78,640 | $37 | +7.4% | 220 |
| 11 | Montana | $73,590 | $72,800 | $35 | +4.1% | 60 |
| 12 | Virginia | $73,140 | $74,960 | $35 | +3.4% | 1,130 |
| 13 | Arizona | $72,100 | $73,490 | $35 | +2% | 1,120 |
| 14 | Georgia | $72,080 | $75,920 | $35 | +1.9% | 1,060 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $71,550 | $77,020 | $34 | +1.2% | 300 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $71,270 | $72,710 | $34 | +0.8% | 60 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $71,110 | $66,390 | $34 | +0.6% | 60 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $70,500 | $72,780 | $34 | -0.3% | 820 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $70,480 | $73,740 | $34 | -0.3% | 830 |
| 20 | Florida | $70,310 | $71,630 | $34 | -0.6% | 3,910 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $69,270 | $69,390 | $33 | -2% | 1,590 |
| 22 | Maine | $68,890 | $64,270 | $33 | -2.6% | 250 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $68,340 | $75,040 | $33 | -3.4% | 1,410 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $68,050 | $67,790 | $33 | -3.8% | 150 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $67,840 | $66,710 | $33 | -4.1% | 300 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $67,750 | $71,590 | $33 | -4.2% | 2,560 |
| 27 | New York | $67,620 | $68,530 | $33 | -4.4% | 2,230 |
| 28 | Indiana | $67,160 | $66,660 | $32 | -5% | 1,490 |
| 29 | Utah | $66,980 | $66,080 | $32 | -5.3% | 280 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $66,710 | $66,520 | $32 | -5.7% | 1,000 |
| 31 | Kansas | $66,420 | $65,010 | $32 | -6.1% | 660 |
| 32 | Idaho | $66,160 | $65,330 | $32 | -6.4% | 210 |
| 33 | Missouri | $66,030 | $66,070 | $32 | -6.6% | 1,470 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $65,690 | $64,920 | $32 | -7.1% | 540 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $65,660 | $66,090 | $32 | -7.1% | 760 |
| 36 | Illinois | $65,580 | $64,120 | $32 | -7.3% | 2,470 |
| 37 | Michigan | $65,400 | $63,260 | $31 | -7.5% | 1,250 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $65,360 | $65,230 | $31 | -7.6% | 500 |
| 39 | Ohio | $64,770 | $62,700 | $31 | -8.4% | 3,890 |
| 40 | Iowa | $63,970 | $64,140 | $31 | -9.5% | 400 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $63,680 | $60,370 | $31 | -9.9% | 340 |
| 42 | Alabama | $63,660 | $62,250 | $31 | -10% | 750 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $63,530 | $61,650 | $31 | -10.2% | 420 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $62,520 | $63,180 | $30 | -11.6% | 210 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $60,890 | $62,750 | $29 | -13.9% | 80 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $60,550 | $62,420 | $29 | -14.4% | 1,300 |
| 47 | Alaska | $59,400 | $53,530 | $29 | -16% | 60 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $58,980 | $60,970 | $28 | -16.6% | 130 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $58,900 | $59,960 | $28 | -16.7% | 1,050 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $55,470 | $56,180 | $27 | -21.6% | 100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 293 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $97,860 | $99,250 | 290 |
| 2 | Modesto, CA | $96,210 | $92,640 | 30 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $95,370 | $94,960 | 160 |
| 4 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $95,190 | $91,880 | 40 |
| 5 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $95,180 | $92,750 | 170 |
| 6 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $88,250 | $85,400 | 420 |
| 7 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $86,440 | $87,450 | 40 |
| 8 | Spartanburg, SC | $86,040 | $78,120 | 80 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $84,860 | $81,730 | 50 |
| 10 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $84,400 | $88,330 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing occupational therapy assistantss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $94,610 | $88,990 | 270 |
| 2 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $84,100 | $75,510 | 100 |
| 3 | Home Health Care Services | $77,310 | $77,800 | 3,560 |
| 4 | Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $76,780 | $77,270 | 9,690 |
| 5 | Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $76,180 | $76,800 | 10,980 |
| 6 | Educational Support Services, Privately Owned | $76,050 | $74,170 | 200 |
| 7 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $74,960 | $73,190 | 2,190 |
| 8 | Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals, Privately Owned | $74,960 | $73,090 | 2,130 |
| 9 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $74,080 | $75,120 | 970 |
| 10 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $73,820 | $70,790 | — |
| 11 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $73,820 | $70,790 | — |
| 12 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $73,820 | $70,790 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in the U.S.?
The median occupational therapy assistants salary in the United States is $72,300 per year (mean $70,710), and about 80% earn between $51,490 and $89,780.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make per hour?
Roughly $34 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $70,710 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays occupational therapy assistants the most?
California has the highest average pay for occupational therapy assistants at $84,690 per year (median $81,770).
What is the job outlook for occupational therapy assistants?
Employment is projected to change +19.2% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 7,200 openings per year.