All About Occupational Therapy Aides
Occupation Description 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.
A Day in the Life of an Occupational Therapy Aide
- Accompany patients on outings, providing transportation when necessary.
- 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.
- Supervise patients in choosing and completing work assignments or arts and crafts projects.
- Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.
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Occupational Therapy Aide Skills
Occupational Therapy Aides state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Rehabilitation Technologist
- Occupational Therapist Aide (OT Aide)
- Direct Support Staff
- Rehabilitation Services Aide
- Direct Service Professional
Job Opportunities for Occupational Therapy Aides
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 7,500 jobs in the United States for Occupational Therapy Aide. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 24% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,800 new jobs for Occupational Therapy Aide by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,200 positions for Occupational Therapy Aide per year.

The states with the most job growth for Occupational Therapy Aide are Delaware, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Oregon, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of an Occupational Therapy Aide
The typical yearly salary for Occupational Therapy Aides is somewhere between $18,260 and $58,660.

Occupational Therapy Aides who work in Washington, New York, or Arizona, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Occupational Therapy Aides in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Arizona | $38,760 |
California | $35,240 |
Colorado | $33,060 |
Connecticut | $33,740 |
Delaware | $34,220 |
Florida | $26,770 |
Georgia | $27,490 |
Illinois | $28,820 |
Indiana | $30,360 |
Iowa | $30,900 |
Louisiana | $40,940 |
Maryland | $34,300 |
Massachusetts | $36,190 |
Michigan | $35,120 |
Minnesota | $33,020 |
Missouri | $29,890 |
Nebraska | $27,700 |
New Hampshire | $35,880 |
New Jersey | $29,330 |
New York | $46,600 |
North Carolina | $29,480 |
North Dakota | $35,900 |
Ohio | $32,140 |
Oklahoma | $31,340 |
Pennsylvania | $32,080 |
South Carolina | $29,330 |
Tennessee | $30,540 |
Texas | $31,390 |
Utah | $23,930 |
Virginia | $38,360 |
Washington | $51,360 |
West Virginia | $29,120 |
Wisconsin | $28,970 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Occupational Therapy Aides
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Occupational Therapy Aides:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- MEDITECH software
- Scheduling software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Billing software
How do I Become an Occupational Therapy Aide?
What kind of Occupational Therapy Aide requirements are there?

What work experience do I need to become an Occupational Therapy Aide?

Who Employs Occupational Therapy Aides?

Below are examples of industries where Occupational Therapy Aides work:

Related Careers
Those interested in being an Occupational Therapy Aide may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: Sgt. Courtney Richardson, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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