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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Occupational Therapy Aides

Part of Health Science, in the Therapeutic Services pathway.

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 31-2012.00

What the work is

Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.

On a typical day

  • Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
  • Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
  • Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
  • Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
  • Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
  • Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment, and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.

What it pays

$37,180
Median pay per year, Texas (no San Antonio figure published)
New workers start near $22,100
Experienced workers reach $77,230
  1. $22k10th
  2. $28k25th
  3. $37kMedian
  4. $44k75th
  5. $77k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $22,100, 25th $27,930, Median $37,180, 75th $43,980, 90th $77,230

Job outlook

U.S. projection, 2024 to 2034.

+3%

U.S. employment change

600

openings a year nationwide, from growth and people leaving

5,200

employed nationwide in 2024

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Short-term on-the-job training

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Service Orientation3.8
  2. Speaking3.5
  3. Social Perceptiveness3.5
  4. Active Listening3.6
  5. Coordination3.0
  6. Critical Thinking3.4
  7. Monitoring3.1
  8. Reading Comprehension3.4

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. High school or less37%
  2. Certificate9%
  3. Some college24%
  4. Associate degree28%
  5. Doctoral or professional2%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

No Alamo program is mapped to this career yet. Many careers start from a transfer pre-major or a related program.

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Does this fit you?

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