Occupational Therapy Aides
Occupational Therapy Aides (SOC 31-2012) earn a median $39,160 a year ($18.83 an hour) in the United States, with 4,310 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is North Carolina.
What occupational therapy aides do
Occupational therapy aides work under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant and perform only delegated, selected or routine tasks in specific situations. The SOC gives preparing the patient and the treatment room as examples of these duties. They prepare and maintain the work area, materials and equipment, and keep an inventory of treatment and educational supplies. They transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area, and they encourage patients and attend to their physical needs so that therapeutic goals can be reached. They observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes and accomplishments, record that information in client records, and report to supervisors or therapists verbally or in writing. Their tasks can also include instructing patients and families in work, social and living skills and in the care and use of adaptive equipment, demonstrating therapy techniques such as manual and creative arts and games, and helping therapists plan and carry out programs. Education is varied, with 37 percent of respondents reporting a high school diploma and 28 percent an associate degree. Different names for the job include rehabilitation aide, occupational rehabilitation aide and direct support professional.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (37 percent).
Also called: Certified Occupational Rehabilitation Aide (CORA), Direct Service Professional (DSP), Direct Support Professional (DSP), Independent Living Specialist, Occupational Rehabilitation Aide.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.15 | $17.27 | $18.83 | $22.49 | $33.75 | $21.21 | 4,310 |
| Annual | $29,430 | $35,920 | $39,160 | $46,780 | $70,200 | $44,110 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where occupational therapy aides earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $14.21 | $22.83 | $31.82 | $36.63 | $37.49 | $29.50 | 250 | 0.05 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $29,570 | $47,490 | $66,190 | $76,190 | $77,980 | $61,360 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.68 | $18.25 | $22.22 | $28.43 | $29.51 | $22.92 | 250 | 0.03 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $32,610 | $37,960 | $46,220 | $59,130 | $61,370 | $47,660 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.53 | $18.53 | $22.06 | $25.00 | $33.75 | $23.00 | 190 | 0.05 | 1.93 |
| Annual | $38,550 | $38,550 | $45,890 | $52,000 | $70,200 | $47,830 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $16.70 | $19.21 | $21.63 | $22.31 | $25.45 | $21.02 | 90 | 0.09 | 3.17 |
| Annual | $34,730 | $39,950 | $44,980 | $46,400 | $52,940 | $43,720 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $18.24 | $19.35 | $21.56 | $22.45 | $23.64 | $21.25 | 110 | 0.07 | 2.42 |
| Annual | $37,930 | $40,250 | $44,840 | $46,690 | $49,170 | $44,190 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.63 | $13.43 | $17.88 | $21.14 | $37.13 | $20.64 | 410 | 0.03 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $22,100 | $27,930 | $37,180 | $43,980 | $77,230 | $42,920 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.65 | $18.82 | $20.91 | $21.62 | $32.96 | $22.56 | 330 | 0.02 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $36,710 | $39,140 | $43,480 | $44,980 | $68,550 | $46,930 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $16.55 | $17.49 | $17.84 | $18.83 | $32.80 | $20.07 | 320 | 0.05 | 1.88 |
| Annual | $34,420 | $36,380 | $37,100 | $39,160 | $68,230 | $41,740 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.68 | $18.25 | $22.22 | $28.43 | $29.51 | $22.92 | 250 | 0.03 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $32,610 | $37,960 | $46,220 | $59,130 | $61,370 | $47,660 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $14.21 | $22.83 | $31.82 | $36.63 | $37.49 | $29.50 | 250 | 0.05 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $29,570 | $47,490 | $66,190 | $76,190 | $77,980 | $61,360 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $16.91 | $24.50 | $32.96 | $38.75 | $38.75 | $30.69 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $35,180 | $50,960 | $68,550 | $80,600 | $80,600 | $63,840 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $18.24 | $18.48 | $22.27 | $23.64 | $24.99 | $21.44 | 40 | 0.07 | 2.53 |
| Annual | $37,930 | $38,430 | $46,320 | $49,170 | $51,980 | $44,600 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.68 | $18.59 | $22.24 | $26.31 | $28.90 | $22.64 | 200 | 0.02 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $32,610 | $38,660 | $46,260 | $54,730 | $60,110 | $47,100 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $16.02 | $19.05 | $22.04 | $39.37 | $44.51 | $27.68 | 100 | 0.03 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $33,310 | $39,620 | $45,840 | $81,900 | $92,570 | $57,570 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $21.62 | $21.62 | $21.62 | $21.62 | $21.87 | $22.03 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $44,980 | $44,980 | $44,980 | $44,980 | $45,490 | $45,830 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.68 | $18.59 | $22.24 | $26.31 | $28.90 | $22.64 | 200 | 0.02 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $32,610 | $38,660 | $46,260 | $54,730 | $60,110 | $47,100 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $17.26 | $17.64 | $17.84 | $18.07 | $18.07 | $18.77 | 150 | 0.13 | 4.83 |
| Annual | $35,910 | $36,700 | $37,100 | $37,580 | $37,580 | $39,050 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $16.44 | $16.97 | $18.31 | $21.42 | $24.54 | $20.20 | 130 | 0.04 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $34,200 | $35,290 | $38,090 | $44,550 | $51,050 | $42,020 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $18.53 | $18.53 | $18.53 | $27.44 | $33.75 | $23.31 | 130 | 0.06 | 2.23 |
| Annual | $38,550 | $38,550 | $38,550 | $57,080 | $70,200 | $48,470 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $11.93 | $16.29 | $20.57 | $22.94 | $44.51 | $22.27 | 110 | 0.03 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $24,800 | $33,880 | $42,790 | $47,710 | $92,580 | $46,320 | ||||
Top industries employing occupational therapy aides
Offices of Other Health Practitioners employ 43.6% of occupational therapy aides nationally (1,880 jobs) at a median $38,500 a year ($18.51 an hour), followed by General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (18.6%) and Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (10.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 1,880 | 43.6% | $38,500 | $18.51 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 800 | 18.6% | $39,760 | $19.11 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals NAICS 622300 | 440 | 10.2% | $39,140 | $18.82 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 320 | 7.4% | $52,000 | $25.00 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 200 | 4.6% | $39,620 | $19.05 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (4,310). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $33,560 for occupational therapy aides in May 2021 and $39,160 in May 2025, with employment of 3,370 and 4,310.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $33,560 | $16.14 | 3,370 |
| May 2022 | $37,060 | $17.82 | 3,710 |
| May 2023 | $36,970 | $17.77 | 4,430 |
| May 2024 | $37,370 | $17.97 | 5,000 |
| May 2025 | $39,160 | $18.83 | 4,310 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
27 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina profile | $31.82 | $66,190 | $29,570 | $77,980 | 250 | 0.05 | 1.86 |
| 2 | New York profile | $22.22 | $46,220 | $32,610 | $61,370 | 250 | 0.03 | 0.93 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $22.06 | $45,890 | $38,550 | $70,200 | 190 | 0.05 | 1.93 |
| 4 | Nebraska profile | $21.63 | $44,980 | $34,730 | $52,940 | 90 | 0.09 | 3.17 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $21.56 | $44,840 | $37,930 | $49,170 | 110 | 0.07 | 2.42 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $21.38 | $44,470 | $38,980 | $46,270 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | California profile | $20.91 | $43,480 | $36,710 | $68,550 | 330 | 0.02 | 0.65 |
| 8 | New Mexico profile | $20.75 | $43,170 | $37,480 | $85,040 | 50 | 0.06 | 2.08 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $19.31 | $40,160 | $35,340 | $53,540 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.92 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $19.28 | $40,110 | $38,530 | $71,750 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.49 |
| 11 | District of Columbia profile | $19.05 | $39,620 | $39,610 | $45,840 | ** | ** | ** |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $18.78 | $39,050 | $29,650 | $50,160 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.51 |
| 13 | Missouri profile | $18.70 | $38,890 | $31,540 | $47,210 | 110 | 0.04 | 1.38 |
| 14 | Indiana profile | $18.39 | $38,250 | $36,200 | $43,220 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | Georgia profile | $18.31 | $38,090 | $33,700 | $47,160 | 200 | 0.04 | 1.50 |
| 16 | Texas profile | $17.88 | $37,180 | $22,100 | $77,230 | 410 | 0.03 | 1.05 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.84 | $37,100 | $34,420 | $68,230 | 320 | 0.05 | 1.88 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $17.67 | $36,760 | $31,360 | $45,850 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.55 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $17.52 | $36,440 | $34,690 | $63,790 | 100 | 0.06 | 2.30 |
| 20 | Ohio profile | $17.49 | $36,380 | $23,180 | $56,130 | 200 | 0.04 | 1.29 |
| 21 | Oklahoma profile | $16.67 | $34,670 | $31,810 | $52,520 | 90 | 0.05 | 1.84 |
| 22 | Maryland profile | $16.02 | $33,310 | $31,200 | $41,290 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $15.67 | $32,590 | $23,500 | $46,110 | 120 | 0.14 | 5.07 |
| 24 | South Carolina profile | $15.36 | $31,950 | $18,290 | $82,800 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.81 |
| 25 | Louisiana profile | $13.73 | $28,560 | $23,070 | $77,200 | 70 | 0.03 | 1.24 |
| 26 | Tennessee profile | $13.39 | $27,840 | $25,700 | $40,090 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.45 |
| 27 | Mississippi profile | $11.68 | $24,300 | $21,770 | $30,780 | 50 | 0.04 | 1.43 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-2010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-2012 Occupational Therapy Aides.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-2012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-2012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.