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How to become an occupational therapy assistant

Healthcare support · SOC 31-2011

$72,300US median pay, 2025
+21.5%Projected growth, 2025–35
8,100Openings per year
DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

  1. Associate's degree
  2. Work as an occupational therapy assistant

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

ProgramCodeSchools
Occupational Therapist AssistantCIP 51.0803217

See the 217 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become an occupational therapy assistant?
Typically about two years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make?
The US median is $72,300 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become an occupational therapy assistant?
Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train to become an occupational therapy assistant?
217 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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