Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, Missouri
$68,500 / year
≈ $5,700 per month · $32.93 per hour
BLS May 2025 state data for Missouri · median $68,500
25th percentile
$61,500Average
$68,50075th percentile
$76,500
$61,500Average
$68,50075th percentile
$76,500
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Occupational Therapy Assistant salary by state
Alabama$66,000
Alaska$61,500
Arizona$74,500
Arkansas$79,500
California$87,500
Colorado$79,500
Connecticut$73,000
Delaware$78,500
District of Columbia$73,500
Florida$73,000
Georgia$74,500
Hawaii$74,000
Idaho$68,500
Illinois$68,000
Indiana$69,500
Iowa$66,000
Kansas$68,500
Kentucky$67,500
Louisiana$68,000
Maine$71,500
Maryland$82,500
Massachusetts$70,500
Michigan$67,500
Minnesota$68,000
Mississippi$66,000
Missouri$68,500
Montana$76,000
Nebraska$64,500
Nevada$80,000
New Hampshire$70,500
New Jersey$80,500
New Mexico$74,000
New York$70,000
North Carolina$71,500
North Dakota$61,000
Ohio$67,000
Oklahoma$69,000
Oregon$79,500
Pennsylvania$70,000
Rhode Island$70,000
South Carolina$73,000
South Dakota$57,500
Tennessee$62,500
Texas$82,500
Utah$69,500
Virginia$75,500
Washington$79,000
West Virginia$66,000
Wisconsin$61,000
Wyoming$63,000
About this role
Occupational Therapy Assistant is a professional role within the function in the Healthcare Support job family.
Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Occupational Therapy Assistants do
Typical education: Associate's Degree
- Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.
- Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
- Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
- Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
- Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
Top skills: Speaking Social Perceptiveness Service Orientation Active Listening Reading Comprehension Time Management
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Occupational Therapy Assistant pay by experience level
Entry level$53,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$64,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$75,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$82,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$93,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+19.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
7,200
projected openings per year
Growing faster than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Occupational Therapy Assistant salary by industry
Ambulatory Health Care Services
25,570 workers
$73,000Offices of Other Health Practitioners
20,640 workers
$72,000Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
10,980 workers
$79,500Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
9,690 workers
$80,000Hospitals
8,480 workers
$71,000Hospitals, Privately Owned
7,250 workers
$71,000General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
6,050 workers
$69,500Home Health Care Services
3,560 workers
$80,500Educational Services
3,490 workers
$63,500Elementary and Secondary Schools
2,840 workers
$62,000National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Occupational Therapy Assistant pays 46% above the average across 19 roles in the Healthcare Support job family (family average $50,000).
Similar-paying roles in Healthcare Support
Physical Therapist Assistant$71,000
Massage Therapist$66,000
Endoscopy Technician$52,500
Dental Assistant$52,000
Medical Assistant$47,500
Phlebotomist$47,000
Occupational Therapy Aide$45,500
Nursing Assistant$44,000
Medical Transcriptionist$43,000
Orderly$42,000
Careers related to Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational Therapy Aide$45,500
Physical Therapist Assistant$71,000
Physical Therapist Aide$37,500
Psychiatric Technician$48,000
Respiratory Therapist$90,500
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Occupational Therapy Assistant make?
The average base salary for a Occupational Therapy Assistant in the United States is $73,000 per year, or about $35.10 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $64,000 and $82,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Healthcare Support roles?
The Healthcare Support job family averages $50,000 across 19 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
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