Occupational Therapy Salary Range?

Im in the process of looking into beginning a new career and have been strongly considering becoming a COTA. I have been researching and have found conflicting information in terms of salary range, I was curious if someone could provide some insight as to what the income of a COTA would be?

DMA in Boston, Massachusetts said: Im in the process of looking into beginning a new career and have been strongly considering becoming a COTA. I have been researching and have found conflicting information in terms of salary range, I was curious if someone could provide some insight as to what the income of a COTA would be?

I think you should check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics @ www.bls.gov/oco/ocos166.htm. I think it is a more accurate picture of salary. If you notice to the right of the indeed page, the salaries seem pretty high. I have tried to contact the webmaster to find out where they are getting their salary numbers but they are high in my mind. I think they are using travelers' salaries. I live in Washington state and our program director said the salaries for this area are from $18-24. I saw a job advertisement for a local hosiptal and it started at $17.91. So I think that corresponds to what I was told. Likewise, I saw an ad for travel assignment and the starting wage was $23-28. Read this forum. People in Texas seem to be faring better than other in other states.

jeannie0130@msn.com in Bellevue, Washington said: I think you should check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics @ www.bls.gov/oco/ocos166.htm . I think it is a more accurate picture of salary. If you notice to the right of the indeed page, the salaries seem pretty high. I have tried to contact the webmaster to find out where they are getting their salary numbers but they are high in my mind. I think they are using travelers' salaries. I live in Washington state and our program director said the salaries for this area are from $18-24. I saw a job advertisement for a local hosiptal and it started at $17.91. So I think that corresponds to what I was told. Likewise, I saw an ad for travel assignment and the starting wage was $23-28. Read this forum. People in Texas seem to be faring better than other in other states.

in new york salary is between 34-47 dollars an hour. I curretly make $37 working in a long island nursing home.

OT Practice published salary survey results in 2006. NY OTR averaged $61,402. AOTA workforce study final report. COTA's earn less.

long island in Valley Stream, New York said: in new york salary is between 34-47 dollars an hour. I curretly make $37 working in a long island nursing home.

Wow, that's a LOT! Are you making this as an Occupational Therapist or an OTA??

I work in peds, so I don't make that much. But, my friend is a recent grad. She's bilingual english and spanish and she just started at a SNF making $43/hr plus benefits at a large rehab providing agency. From what I understand, a lot of facilities (hospitals and SNFs) contract out their rehab departments to save costs. But from what my friend is making, I'm not sure how it's cheaper to contract out.

I hear outpatient OTs and PTs don't make that much. But I've never actually asked an outpatient therapist there salary.

hope that helps.

socalOTgal in Van Nuys, California said: I work in peds, so I don't make that much. But, my friend is a recent grad. She's bilingual english and spanish and she just started at a SNF making $43/hr plus benefits at a large rehab providing agency. From what I understand, a lot of facilities (hospitals and SNFs) contract out their rehab departments to save costs. But from what my friend is making, I'm not sure how it's cheaper to contract out.

I hear outpatient OTs and PTs don't make that much. But I've never actually asked an outpatient therapist there salary.

hope that helps.

Is your friend an OTR or COTA? $43 an hour is a lot for a COTA here in SoCal. If she is an OTR that's kind of on the low side. Most OTR's start out at $50 an hour. SNF can lead to burn out real quick, peds pays nothing, and out-patient pays about $40 an hour for an OTR. They don't hire COTA's like me for out-patient here in SoCal anymore so I don't know what the average day is like. Like so many other COTA's though, I am in school focusing on another career.

I am a senior inmajoring a B.S in Psychology and I am doing my internship at YAI (National Institute for People with Dissabilities) in New York in Recreational Services. I am also going to start doing my 200 hours of volunteer service in a Hospital in the department of Occupational Therapy. As for now, my GPA is 2.7 and a MOT is highly competitive here. I am undecided whether I should take the OTA first and hopefully enter into the MOT program or go and pursue a M.A in Psychology.
I am having mixed feelings and dont know which path to go. All I know is that I like psychology maybe because I am doing good in that field but I cannot find a job per say that will atract me to get into that field or maybe its because a Masters. On the other hand, I have been doing pre requisites for the Masters and I like the humanly care on patients and it is a health setting career.
I would like to know any advice based on this commentary of mine and would like to know what is the entry salary for an OTA having a B.S degree in Psychology and maybe having an online degree with an Occupational Therapy AIde certificate.? If any psychologist read this, please be free to expand my options to further expand my two likes: psychology and an allied health career.
Thank you....

Occupational therapy aid certificate is basically a tech position and pay is a little over minimum wage. You are already halfway to becoming an OTR. If I were you, I would finish the Bachelors in Psych and apply to an MOT program. Most MOT programs do not care what your 4 yr degree is in as long as you have one. I did meet a PT that had not passed his exam which he took twice and later decided to be a PTA for awhile in the meantime studying for his exam once again. So only go the OTA route unless you don't have any other choice. You do need to bring up your GPA to at least a 3.0 to meet MOT entry requirements.

DMA in Boston, Massachusetts said: Im in the process of looking into beginning a new career and have been strongly considering becoming a COTA. I have been researching and have found conflicting information in terms of salary range, I was curious if someone could provide some insight as to what the income of a COTA would be?

The smaller the town seems to be the better pay. In North Texas the rate seems to be anywhere from $26.00- $32.00 pr. hr. for full time.

JelNun in Bronx, New York said: I am a senior inmajoring a B.S in Psychology and I am doing my internship at YAI (National Institute for People with Dissabilities) in New York in Recreational Services. I am also going to start doing my 200 hours of volunteer service in a Hospital in the department of Occupational Therapy. As for now, my GPA is 2.7 and a MOT is highly competitive here. I am undecided whether I should take the OTA first and hopefully enter into the MOT program or go and pursue a M.A in Psychology.
I am having mixed feelings and dont know which path to go. All I know is that I like psychology maybe because I am doing good in that field but I cannot find a job per say that will atract me to get into that field or maybe its because a Masters. On the other hand, I have been doing pre requisites for the Masters and I like the humanly care on patients and it is a health setting career.
I would like to know any advice based on this commentary of mine and would like to know what is the entry salary for an OTA having a B.S degree in Psychology and maybe having an online degree with an Occupational Therapy AIde certificate.? If any psychologist read this, please be free to expand my options to further expand my two likes: psychology and an allied health career.
Thank you....

You should look into a Occupational therapist masters program its about 2 1/2 years ... the pay is around $50 hour 96k a year... Some MOT programs may even take you at your current standing like Nova Southeastern University all you need is 90 credits of undergraduate work 30 of it upperlevel and you can start their program if you have the pre reqs. The downside of psychology is the job market my gf is about to start a PHD clinical psychology program and its almost like why do a 4 year program plus a 1 year internship for 50 or 60k and low job prospects...Also an aide makes very little money in my state about 10 an hour...

Thank you mojo...
I was also wondering (anyone...?) What are the prospects, salary and job market for an OTA and OTA entry level for a busy city like New York City?