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Kraena Pre-Health
Career Library

Therapy & Rehab

Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA)

Helps people relearn the ordinary tasks that make independent life possible.

Years after high school

2

Degree

Associate's degree

Entrance exam

Program entrance testing varies

Median pay

$72,300 national median for occupational therapy assistants (BLS, May 2025).

What the job is actually like

Practising dressing, cooking, handwriting, or transfers with patients recovering from stroke, injury, or living with disability. In skilled nursing you may see many patients back to back with productivity targets to hit.

The path

  1. 01Accredited 2 year associate's degree OTA program
  2. 02Fieldwork placements
  3. 03NBCOT certification examination
  4. 04State licensure

Good fit if

  • You like creative, practical problem-solving
  • Restoring everyday independence appeals to you more than treating disease
  • You want a short, affordable path

Think twice if

  • Productivity quotas in nursing facilities would wear on you
  • You want authority over the treatment plan
  • You want a high salary ceiling

Similar paths worth comparing

Physical Therapist (DPT)

Restores movement and reduces pain after injury, surgery, stroke, or chronic disease.

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Occupational Therapist (OT)

Helps people regain the ability to do the everyday activities that matter to them.

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Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)

Treats communication and swallowing disorders across every age group.

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All salary figures here are median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 — the most recent full national dataset. 'Median' means half of workers earn more and half earn less. Three things to keep in mind: (1) pay varies enormously by state, city, setting, and experience — a nurse in California and a nurse in rural Alabama earn very different salaries; (2) training lengths are typical, not guaranteed, and programs differ; (3) these numbers change every year. Always verify current figures at bls.gov/ooh before making a decision. For context, the BLS median wage for all U.S. occupations was $50,980, while healthcare practitioner and technical occupations had a median of $86,530 — one of the reasons health care is such a stable field.