Occupational Therapy Assistant Jobs: Growth, Settings, and Next Steps
Helping someone button a shirt again after a stroke is quiet work, and it changes lives. That’s the heart of occupational therapy assistant jobs: COTAs turn a treatment plan into daily progress, one task at a time. If you’re exploring your options, our therapy careers page shows how we place therapy professionals across the country.
Why Occupational Therapy Assistant Jobs Are Growing
One of Healthcare’s Faster-Growing Roles
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 20% employment growth for occupational therapy assistants and aides from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average. That works out to about 8,600 openings a year. Many will replace workers who retire or change careers, and BLS expects the healthcare needs of an aging population to keep demand growing.
Where COTAs Work
BLS notes that OT assistants and aides work mostly in occupational therapists’ offices, hospitals, and nursing care facilities. Each feels different. A hospital day may focus on getting a patient home safely, while a skilled nursing unit often centers on rebuilding daily routines over several weeks. Outpatient clinics tend to run on scheduled visits and steady caseloads. Trying more than one setting helps you find the pace that suits you.
The Role Behind the Treatment Plan
Working Under an OT’s Direction
COTAs carry out interventions under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist, who evaluates the patient and sets the plan. In practice, the COTA works through the exercises and daily-living tasks the OT has prescribed. Occupational therapists typically need a master’s degree, and BLS projects 15% growth for that role, too. The COTA reports progress back to the OT, and that feedback shapes the next plan update. Clear notes help.
Staffing Shifts in Skilled Nursing
Payment rules shape therapy staffing. A Health Affairs study found that after Medicare’s Patient Driven Payment Model took effect, staffing for PT and OT assistants in skilled nursing facilities fell about 10 percent in late 2019. COTAs who can work across hospital, rehab, and long-term care settings have more options when one setting cuts back.
How to Build a Strong COTA Career
Credentials You’ll Need
Occupational therapy assistants typically need an associate’s degree from an accredited OTA program, and most states require a license. The COTA credential comes from passing the certification exam from NBCOT, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Licensing rules vary by state, so check before you accept an assignment in a new one. It also helps to keep your certification and state license on the same renewal calendar so nothing lapses mid-contract.
Why Travel Contracts Appeal to COTAs
As of this writing, our job board lists 27 open COTA assignments across 11 states and DC, and every one is a travel contract. Most run 13 weeks. In Arizona, there’s a current opening in Sierra Vista. Travel lets you try new settings without a long commitment, and a contract is a low-risk way to test a new region. Credentialing moves faster when your license, certification, and immunization records are current and organized. Browse our travel allied roles to see how allied assignments work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the difference between an OT assistant and an OT aide? A: Assistants provide treatment under an occupational therapist’s supervision and usually need a license. Aides handle support tasks, such as preparing treatment rooms. Both roles support the occupational therapist.
Q: What do occupational therapy assistants earn? A: BLS reports a median annual wage of $72,300 in May 2025. Travel contracts are quoted per assignment and vary by market, setting, and schedule. Ask a recruiter.
Q: Can I take travel contracts as a newer COTA? A: Our current listings ask for at least one year of full-time COTA experience within the last two years. A first year in one setting makes you a stronger candidate. If you’re close to a year, talk to a recruiter now so you’re ready when you qualify.
Grow Your Career in Occupational Therapy
COTAs help people get their daily lives back, one routine at a time, and the field is growing across hospitals, rehab, and skilled nursing. Your skills travel well. Search open therapy jobs with Concentric Healthcare, and our team will help you find an assignment that fits wherever you want to practice next.
