Careers / Occupational Therapy Aides
Occupational Therapy Aides — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$39,160
United States, 2025
Employment
4,310
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.
- O*NET code
- 31-2012.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
- Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
- Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
- Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
- Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment, and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.
- Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$29,430
25th percentile
$35,920
75th percentile
$46,780
90th percentile
$70,200
Most important skills
- Service Orientation3.8
- Speaking3.6
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Coordination3.4
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Writing3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 15 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
15
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.8 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.4 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $97,550
Compare with Occupational Therapy AidesSupplemental
National median $60,280
Compare with Occupational Therapy AidesSupplemental
National median $97,550
Compare with Occupational Therapy AidesSupplemental
National median $265,930
Compare with Occupational Therapy AidesHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside, CA | $68,550 | 30 | 2025 |
| NC | $66,190 | 250 | 2025 |
| Hartford, CT | $46,320 | 40 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $46,260 | 200 | 2025 |
| NY | $46,220 | 250 | 2025 |
| WA | $45,890 | 190 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $45,840 | 100 | 2025 |
| NE | $44,980 | 90 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $44,980 | — | 2025 |
| CT | $44,840 | 110 | 2025 |
| NJ | $44,470 | — | 2025 |
| CA | $43,480 | 330 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | $43,270 | 50 | 2025 |
| NM | $43,170 | 50 | 2025 |
| Dallas, TX | $42,790 | 110 | 2025 |
| Houston, TX | $41,400 | 70 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $40,200 | 70 | 2025 |
| MA | $40,160 | 90 | 2025 |
| CO | $40,110 | 40 | 2025 |
| Omaha, NE | $39,950 | 50 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Occupational Therapy Aides to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.