Occupational Therapy Aide: Job Duties, Skills, Training and Salary

What an occupational therapy aide does, how it differs from an OTA, training, 2025 salary, key skills, and how it can lead to an OTA or OT career.

The Profession 10 min read

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Updated October 8, 2026

Occupational therapy aide preparing a treatment area

What is an occupational therapy aide?

An occupational therapy aide is an individual who supports and assists the occupational therapist (OT) and the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) by performing specifically delegated tasks.

Occupational therapy aides may also be called rehabilitation aides or technicians, restorative aides or service extenders. Both OTs and OTAs can supervise aides, but aides cannot supervise OT practice.

Read more: what is occupational therapy? and what do occupational therapists do?

Occupational therapy aides

OT vs OTA vs OT aide

Occupational therapistOT assistantOT aide
Education Master's or doctorateAssociate's degreeHigh school diploma; on-the-job training
Licence RequiredUsually requiredTypically not regulated
Main work Evaluation, goals, plan of care, treatmentSkilled treatment under OT supervisionNon-skilled, delegated support tasks
Supervises OTAs and aidesAidesNo one
Median pay (BLS, May 2025) $100,330$72,300$39,160

See our full comparison of OT vs OTA.

The role of an OT aide

  1. OT aides are not considered OT practitioners under AOTA standards. The use of aides grew as health care systems tried to control costs by delegating non-skilled tasks.
  2. OTs and OTAs can delegate non-skilled tasks to aides.
  3. Non-skilled tasks include routine maintenance and clerical work, preparing the clinic area for treatment, and specific, supervised parts of a treatment session (for example, contact guarding a client while the therapist teaches transfers).
  4. Sometimes an aide may do client-related tasks where they interact with the client, but always under the direction and guidance of the OT or OTA.
Aides can usually Aides should not
Prepare treatment areas and set up equipment Evaluate clients or interpret results
Clean and maintain equipment; order supplies Plan or change treatment
Schedule appointments, file, do data entry Provide skilled treatment on their own
Transport clients and help them in and out of the clinic Write clinical notes as if they were the therapist
Assist with a specific task the OT or OTA directs, e.g. guarding a transfer Bill for skilled therapy services

Exact rules depend on state law, facility policy and payer rules.

Training and requirements

The minimum requirement to become an occupational therapy aide is a high school diploma; no special certification is required. New aides receive on-the-job training from the occupational therapist. Because training is limited, close supervision is needed while they learn the work.

No licence is needed to work as an OT aide, so by law they are not allowed to perform skilled clinical tasks.

Additional certification, like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), or a certificate in health sciences or medical terminology, helps aides perform better and is often preferred by employers.

Schooling: a diploma or degree isn’t required. If you want to learn more, some schools offer short online certificate courses for aides that cover the basics of the human body and occupational therapy. Check that any course is from a reputable, accredited provider before paying.

How to become an OT aide

  1. Finish high school

    Or get an equivalent such as the GED.

  2. Build useful skills

    CPR, basic computer skills, customer service; an optional health care certificate.

  3. Apply

    Hospitals, rehab centres, nursing homes, therapy clinics and schools.

  4. Train on the job

    Learn routines, terminology and safety from your OT and OTA.

Job description

The aide does selected, delegated work under the observation of an OT or OTA. The work includes client-related and non-client-related tasks. Occupational therapy aides maintain equipment in good working condition and schedule activities for the occupational therapist.

The aide is generally responsible for the non-technical duties of occupational therapy, such as preparing treatment areas, ordering devices and supplies, and transporting clients. Working under the direction of the OT, aides may be employed in home health, nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, mental health and schools. BLS reports the largest employer of aides is offices of other health practitioners (43%).

Salary

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for occupational therapy aides was $39,160 in May 2025, and aides held about 4,400 jobs in 2025. Previous experience, work setting and other skills all help you earn more.

Employers rarely pay well for a single unskilled task. OT aides who build extra skills, like computer and scheduling skills, CPR, and knowledge of terminology and equipment, are more valuable.

Skills an OT aide needs

To be successful as an OT aide, you need the right educational and technical skills, as well as the interpersonal skills to communicate well. If you don’t have these yet, you can build them through courses or self-learning.

Skill Why it matters
Punctuality Clean and set up the treatment area before sessions start, so neither the OT nor the client wastes time.
Working under pressure OTs and OTAs may hand over time-sensitive non-clinical tasks such as paperwork.
Flexibility Work inside and outside the clinic, e.g. helping a client from their vehicle to the therapy room.
Following rules and instructions Follow the instructions of the OT or OTA and the policies of the health agency or hospital.
Computer skills Data entry and basic applications such as word processing and spreadsheets; typing and clerical work are a big part of the job.
Basic office skills Filing, data collection, organising and distributing materials.
Basic knowledge of the human body Helps you understand what your supervisors are doing with clients.
Vital signs and emergencies Know basic vital signs such as pulse and blood pressure, and report any change or concern to the OT or OTA right away.
Infection control Hand hygiene and cleaning equipment between clients help prevent infections, especially in inpatient rehab.
Common terminology Learn the abbreviations OTs use. For example, COPM means the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure.
Good communication Talk clearly with clients, colleagues, therapists and the rest of the rehab team, and raise problems with your supervisors.

Occupational therapy aides should closely observe the OT and OTA, and learn their ways of working, terminology and documentation.

A stepping stone to OTA or OT

Many OTAs and OTs started as aides. Working as an aide shows you what the profession is really like and gives you observation hours that many OTA and OT programs require.

A career path in occupational therapy

Most training ↑

  1. Occupational therapistOT

    Master's or doctorate, NBCOT OTR exam, licence.

  2. Occupational therapy assistantOTA

    Associate's degree, NBCOT COTA exam, licence.

  3. Occupational therapy aideAide

    High school diploma, on-the-job training.

Entry point

Summary

Occupational therapy aides are part of the occupational therapy team. They take care of the non-clinical side of therapy and assist OTs and OTAs in many ways, and the job can be the first step on a rewarding career ladder. Read more: occupational therapy assistant and OT vs OTA.

References

Frequently asked questions

What does an occupational therapy aide do?
An OT aide prepares treatment areas, sets up and cleans equipment, orders supplies, schedules appointments, does clerical and data entry tasks, helps clients move to and from treatment areas, and may assist with specific, supervised parts of a session, such as guarding a client while the therapist teaches a transfer.
What is the difference between an OT aide and an OTA?
An OTA is a licensed practitioner with an associate's degree who provides skilled treatment under an OT's supervision. An OT aide usually has a high school diploma, isn't licensed and only performs non-skilled, delegated tasks.
How do I become an occupational therapy aide?
You typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Employers provide on-the-job training. CPR certification, customer service experience, basic computer skills and a short medical terminology or health care course can help you get hired.
How much does an occupational therapy aide make?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for occupational therapy aides was $39,160 in May 2025.
Do occupational therapy aides need a licence?
No. BLS notes that occupational therapy aides typically are not regulated by state law. Because they aren't licensed, they cannot perform skilled clinical tasks.

Written by

Payal Mehta is a practising occupational therapist and co-founder of Occupational Therapy OT. She writes on pediatrics, sensory integration, and mental-health practice.

All articles by Payal →

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized assessment or treatment by a licensed occupational therapist. Always seek the guidance of a qualified professional for specific concerns.

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