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Occupational Therapy Assistants in Florida

Want to work as an Occupational Therapy Assistants in Florida? Here’s what the data says. Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with state laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training.

$71,800 Median Annual Wage (Florida)

$29,426 National Median Annual Wage

3,580 Florida Employment

Medium Preparation Needed Typical Preparation

What do Occupational Therapy Assistants Make in Florida?

For occupational therapy assistants working in Florida, the median annual wage is $71,800 per year (or roughly $34.52/hour).Earnings range from $59,050 at the 10th percentile to $79,840 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$59,050	$28.39
25th percentile	$63,860	$30.70
Median (50th)	$71,800	$34.52
75th percentile	$75,080	$36.10
90th percentile	$79,840	$38.38

Salary ranges for Occupational Therapy Assistants in Florida

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Florida relative to the national average — is 1.17, indicating that occupational therapy assistants are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, occupational therapy assistants earn a median of $29,426 per year ($14.15/hour), above the Florida median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 542,119 occupational therapy assistants in the U.S.. In Florida alone, approximately 3,580 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 670 occupational therapy assistants.

Forecasted number of jobs for Occupational Therapy Assistants

Top Florida Metros for Occupational Therapy Assistants

The metro areas below employ the most occupational therapy assistants in Florida.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	860	$73,450
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	600	$72,550
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	380	$71,790
Jacksonville, FL	250	$71,230
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL	160	$66,530
Port St. Lucie, FL	150	$72,270
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	110	$66,250
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	110	$66,170
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL	100	$73,060
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	100	$71,570
Homosassa Springs, FL	90	$66,430
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	80	$65,220
Gainesville, FL	60	$70,550
Naples-Marco Island, FL	50	$77,420
Tallahassee, FL	30	$66,720

Top States for Occupational Therapy Assistants Employment

These states have the highest employment of occupational therapy assistants work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	5,660
Florida	3,580
California	3,290
Ohio	3,150
New York	2,760
Illinois	2,230
Pennsylvania	2,010
North Carolina	1,620
Massachusetts	1,540
Tennessee	1,430
Indiana	1,280
Virginia	1,260
Georgia	1,220
Wisconsin	1,140
Michigan	1,130
Missouri	1,030
Arizona	930
Colorado	910
Connecticut	860
Oklahoma	830

Highest-Paying States for Occupational Therapy Assistants

These states pay the most for occupational therapy assistants.

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$79,420
Texas	$77,910
Arkansas	$77,340
Maryland	$77,330
Nevada	$76,450
Washington	$76,010
Arizona	$75,020
Virginia	$73,870
Oregon	$73,580
South Carolina	$72,970

Skills

Key occupational therapy assistants skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Active Listening 3.9 / 5

Service Orientation 3.9 / 5

Speaking 3.9 / 5

Social Perceptiveness 3.9 / 5

Reading Comprehension 3.6 / 5

Time Management 3.5 / 5

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Customer and Personal Service 4.7 / 5

Psychology 4.3 / 5

Education and Training 3.9 / 5

English Language 3.7 / 5

Therapy and Counseling 3.7 / 5

Public Safety and Security 3.4 / 5

Abilities

Key abilities for occupational therapy assistants, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Expression 4.0 / 5

Oral Comprehension 4.0 / 5

Written Expression 3.8 / 5

Problem Sensitivity 3.8 / 5

Written Comprehension 3.6 / 5

Near Vision 3.5 / 5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, occupational therapy assistants typically:

Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.
Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.
Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.
Attend continuing education classes.
Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
Evaluate the daily living skills or capacities of clients with physical, developmental, or mental health disabilities.
Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare professionals involved with the care of a patient.
Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement, or administer educational, vocational, or recreational programs that restore or enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments.

Work Activities

Documenting/Recording Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Assisting and Caring for Others
Thinking Creatively
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Performing General Physical Activities
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: eClinicalWorks EHR software, Facebook

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

Allied Health Services

Careers similar to occupational therapy assistants include:

Also Known As

Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant (Acute Care OT Assistant), Certified Occupational Assistant, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Certified Travel OTA (Certified Travel Occupational Therapist Assistant), Home Health COTA (Home Health Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant), Independent Living Specialist, Licensed Occupational Therapist Assistant (LOTA), Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA), Nursing Facility COTA (Nursing Facility Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant), Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA), Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA), Occupational Therapy Technician, Registered Therapist Assistant, Rehabilitation Assistant.

References

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
O*NET-SOC code: 31-2011.00

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