Disciplines / COTA
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
COTAs deliver occupational therapy interventions under OT supervision across pediatric, school and rehabilitation caseloads.
- Advertised pay
- $28/hr – $42/hr
- Credential
- State licensure; NBCOT certification (COTA)
- Live roles
- None open today
What is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), and what does the role pay?
What the role does
- Deliver treatment to the OT's plan of care
- Document sessions and progress
- Adapt activities and prepare sensory environments
- Support equipment training
Credential and route in
State licensure; NBCOT certification (COTA) · NBCOT and state licensing boards
- 1Associate degree from an ACOTE-accredited OTA program
- 2Fieldwork placements
- 3Pass the NBCOT COTA examination
- 4State licensure
Advertised pay
| Career stage | Advertised pay | What typically sits behind it |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | $28/hr | Newly credentialed, supervised caseload |
| Mid-career | $34/hr | Full caseload, independent, some supervision of others |
| Senior | $42/hr | Lead or multi-site scope, clinical quality ownership |
Ranges reflect what we typically see advertised on roles we recruit for in the US. They are a market guide, not a survey, and vary by setting, caseload and experience. Last reviewed August 2026.
Full COTA salary guideWhere COTAs work
Pediatric clinics · Schools · Skilled nursing · Home health
Specialties
- Pediatric therapyOutpatient pediatric speech, occupational and physical therapy clinics, frequently multidisciplinary alongside ABA.
- School-based servicesDistrict-employed and contract services across special education: evaluations, IEP-aligned therapy, behavior support and school mental health.
- Skilled nursing and rehabAdult rehabilitation caseloads across skilled nursing facilities, acute rehab and home health, where speech and occupational therapy meet medical care.
Demand right now
Steady, with the sharpest need in skilled nursing and school contract work.
Hiring COTAs?
Supervision access and productivity targets are the two questions every COTA candidate asks.
Submit a roleLive COTA roles
No live COTA roles today. Join the talent network and we will contact you when one opens in your state.
Join the talent networkRelated roles
- Occupational Therapist (OT)OTs build the functional and sensory skills that let clients take part in daily life, from pediatric sensory integration to adult rehabilitation.$78k – $108k
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA)SLPAs deliver speech and language treatment to plan under SLP supervision, carrying much of the direct therapy load in schools and pediatric clinics.$25/hr – $40/hr