How Long Does It Take To Become An Occupational Therapy Assistant?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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You must complete

16 weeks

of supervised occupational therapy work prior to licensure as an Occupational Therapy Assistant.

How many years does it take to become an OTA?

The Herzing OTA associate degree program takes an

average of 24 months

to complete. That means depending on when you start and how quickly you earn your certification (passing the NBCOT exam), you may be able to become a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) in 2 years.

Do OTAs make good money?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), about 50% of occupational therapy assistants earn an average of $61,150 a year.

How much does a ot assistant make?

The average salary for an occupational therapist assistant in California is

around $70,190 per year

.

How hard is it to get into an occupational therapy assistant program?

First, getting into an

OT program is difficult

. Competition is fierce, and most who apply for such programs do not get into them the first time they apply.

Who gets paid more OTA or PTA?

The median salary for

established OTAs

is more than $60,000. The median salary for established PTAs is $58,040. … First-year OTA salaries are in the $45,000 range. Typical responsibilities of OTAs tend to have a wider scope than a physical therapy assistant.

Is Ota a dying field?


OTA is a dying field

. There are NO jobs. If you love OT and have some flexibility about getting a job maybe go ahead.

How much do OT assistants make an hour?

State California Employment 1810 Hourly Mean Wage
$33.15
Annual Mean Wage
$68,950

Can you become an OT online?


There are no accredited entry-level occupational therapy

or occupational therapy assistant educational programs that are offered in the online format. Some educational programs may offer some courses or parts of courses online, but there are no entry-level educational programs offered entirely online.

Can you get an OT degree online?


There are no accredited entry-level occupational therapy

or occupational therapy assistant educational programs that are offered in the online format. Some educational programs may offer some courses or parts of courses online, but there are no entry-level educational programs offered entirely online.

Is it harder to get into PT or OT school?

Historically,

PT programs have been more difficult to get into than OT

, but in the past few years the number of applicants to OT programs have literally grown exponentially.

Is Occupational Therapy harder than nursing?

The short answer is:

YES, occupational therapy school is hard

. But so is physical therapy school, nursing school, medical school, pharmacy school, physician’s assistant school, etc. All healthcare degrees are going to be challenging, and for good reason.

Is PTA a stressful job?

Being a physical therapist assistant is

emotionally demanding sometimes

. Many patients are in pain and facing uncertainty about their health. … The job comes with frequent physical demands, as well. A PTA must be comfortable in physical contact with others, supporting patients as they complete exercises.

What can an OTA not do?

An OTA can contribute to the evaluation process, but they

cannot independently evaluate or initiate treatment prior

to the OT evaluation. An OTA can contribute to the development and implementation of the intervention plan.

Whats better PTA or OTA?


PTAs

often help move or support patients during exercises. Strength and stamina are also important for providing massage therapy. OTAs who work with people who have limited capacity for speech or other communication need exceptional “people-reading” skills to gauge how patients are handling their therapy sessions.

Rachel Ostrander
Author
Rachel Ostrander
Rachel is a career coach and HR consultant with over 5 years of experience working with job seekers and employers. She holds a degree in human resources management and has worked with leading companies such as Google and Amazon. Rachel is passionate about helping people find fulfilling careers and providing practical advice for navigating the job market.