Occupational Therapy Assistants
What Occupational Therapy Assistants Do
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.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 3 of 5Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Job training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.7/5
- Psychologyimportance 4.3/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.9/5
- English Languageimportance 3.7/5
- Therapy and Counselingimportance 3.7/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.4/5
- Sociology and Anthropologyimportance 3.1/5
- Administrativeimportance 3.1/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Exposed to Disease or Infections4.9/5
- Contact With Others4.8/5
- Physical Proximity4.8/5
- Time Pressure4.7/5
- Frequency of Decision Making4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Psychiatric Technicians97% skill match
- Community Health Workers97% skill match
- Medical Assistants96% skill match
- Psychiatric Aides96% skill match
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses96% skill match
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers96% skill match
- Compliance Officers96% skill match
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School96% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.9/5
- Service Orientationimportance 3.9/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.5/5
- Instructingimportance 3.3/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
- Systems Analysisimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Billing software
- Bookkeeping software
- BrainTrain Captain's Log
- BrainTrain IVA+Plus
- BrainTrain SmartDriver
- Client caseload management software
- Database software
- Email software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Empathy
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Attention to Detail
- Social Orientation
- Integrity
- Optimism
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- SocialHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- RealisticMedium
- InvestigativeMedium
- ArtisticLow
- EnterprisingLow
Specific Interests
A more detailed breakdown of this occupation’s interest profile, per O*NET.
Military Backgrounds That Lead Here
Military occupations commonly matched to this career, per the DMDC Military Crosswalk.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where occupational therapy assistants make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Homosassa Springs, FL7.74× national avg
- 2Jonesboro, AR4.67× national avg
- 3Victoria, TX4.45× national avg
- 4Cape Girardeau, MO-IL4.13× national avg
- 5Canton-Massillon, OH3.91× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Psychiatric TechniciansCareer Change
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesCareer Change
- Medical AssistantsLateral Move
- Physical Therapist AidesLateral Move
See the full career path from Occupational Therapy Assistants →
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Medical/Clinical Assistant
- Ivy Tech Community College (Indianapolis, IN)grads earn ~$35,525
- Hillsborough College (Tampa, FL)
- NUC University (Bayamon, PR)grads earn ~$31,621
- Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale, FL)grads earn ~$39,852
- The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest (Houston, TX)grads earn ~$32,907