The mission of all occupational therapy assistants is to support therapists in their goal of helping patients learn to live life to the fullest. Patients of all ages are taught physical, social, and psychological functions in order to maintain optimal health, self-esteem, and independence.
Although occupational therapy assistants work under the direct supervision of occupational therapists, they are highly skilled medical professionals. They are required to earn an associate’s degree and pass the national certification exam before becoming a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). OT assistants may be found in such facilities as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, and rehabilitation centers.
To be an occupational therapy assistant in the United States, you must first earn your associate’s degree from one of the 175+ occupational therapy assistant programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). These institutions can be public or private universities, four-year colleges, community colleges, or technical colleges.
Once the student has obtained an associate’s degree and met all the other requirements, he or she is eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination. In order to become an occupational therapy assistant, you must pass the NBCOT exam.
Occupational therapist education programs include classroom and laboratory time and provide clinical experience and fieldwork experience towards the end of the course. Most schools have prerequisites, but some allow these prerequisites to be taken in the first year.
According to the US Bureau Of Labor Statistics, there are around 42,000 occupational therapy assistants in the United States in 2022 and the field is supposed to see an increase of 30 percent by 2024. According to the same report, occupational therapy assistants average $61,730 in annual income.
Tuition Costs for Occupational Therapy Assistants
The cost of occupational therapy assistant school depends on the location and size of the school, and whether it is public or private.
According to the AOTA survey for 2012, the average cost for the program for residents at public institutions, including tuition, fees, and other costs, is about $7,325. For private institutions, the average tuition was approximately $15,745.
List of Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Alabama
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Arizona
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Arkansas
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in California
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Colorado
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Connecticut
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Delaware
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Florida
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Georgia
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Hawaii
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Idaho
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Illinois
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Iowa
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Kansas
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Kentucky
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Louisiana
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Maine
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Maryland
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Massachusetts
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Michigan
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Minnesota
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- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Nebraska
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Nevada
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in New Hampshire
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in New Jersey
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in New Mexico
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in New York
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in North Carolina
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in North Dakota
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Ohio
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- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Oregon
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Pennsylvania
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Rhode Island
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in South Carolina
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in South Dakota
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Tennessee
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Texas
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Utah
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Virginia
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Washington
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in West Virginia
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Wisconsin