Occupational Therapy Assistants pay in California

In California, the median pay for occupational therapy assistants is $39.31 an hour ($81,770 a year). About 3,840 people work in this job there.

$39.31Median hourly pay

$76,350–$96,720Middle half of workers, yearly

3,840People in this job in California

That is 13% higher than the U.S. median ($72,300). California ranks 2nd of 50 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for occupational therapy assistants in California

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$31.58	$65,680
25% of workers	$36.71	$76,350
Half of workers (median)	$39.31	$81,770
75% of workers	$46.50	$96,720
90% of workers	$50.48	$104,990

Occupational Therapy Assistants pay in California metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	$97,860	290
Modesto	$96,210	30
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	$95,370	160
Bakersfield-Delano	$95,190	40
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom	$95,180	170
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara	$86,440	40
Stockton-Lodi	$84,400	60
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad	$82,680	360
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura	$82,060	80
Visalia	$81,200	50
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario	$80,070	400
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim	$78,090	1,720
Fresno	$76,030	90

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for occupational therapy assistants

Typical education to start: Associate's degree (BLS)
Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
Job outlook: +21.5% over ten years, much faster than average · about 8,100 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in California

Job	Median yearly pay
Registered Nurses	$140,270
Medical Assistants	$49,660
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$79,750
Respiratory Therapists	$104,820
Massage Therapists	$45,970
Psychiatric Technicians	$49,140
Physical Therapist Assistants	$83,110
Physical Therapist Aides	$38,330

Other job titles for this job

Acute Care Occupational Therapy AssistantAcute Care Ot AssistantCertified Occupational AssistantCertified Occupational Therapist AssistantCotaCertified Occupational Therapy AssistantCertified OtaHome Health CotaLicensed Occupational Therapist AssistantLotaLicensed Occupational Therapy AssistantNursing Facility Cota

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.