Occupational Therapy Aides Salary
Occupational Therapy Aides in Cleveland, OH make a median of $38,860 a year, or about $18.68 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $41,376 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,279/month, about 48.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About occupational therapy aides
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Occupational therapy aides pay in Cleveland tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,279/month, which is 46.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapy aides in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | $37K | $39K |
| Pittsburgh | $37K | $39K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $40K | $39K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $38K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level occupational therapy aides (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapy Aides pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Occupational Therapy Aides salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $66K | +69% | 250 |
| New York | $46K | +18% | 250 |
| Washington | $46K | +17% | 190 |
| Nebraska | $45K | +15% | 90 |
| Connecticut | $45K | +15% | 110 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +14% | N/A |
| California | $43K | +11% | 330 |
| New Mexico | $43K | +10% | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $40K | +3% | 90 |
| Colorado | $40K | +2% | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $40K | +1% | N/A |
| Michigan | $39K | -0% | 60 |
| Missouri | $39K | -1% | 110 |
| Indiana | $38K | -2% | N/A |
| Georgia | $38K | -3% | 200 |
| Texas | $37K | -5% | 410 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -5% | 320 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -6% | 40 |
| Nevada | $36K | -7% | 100 |
| Ohio | $36K | -7% | 200 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -11% | 90 |
| Maryland | $33K | -15% | N/A |
| Idaho | $33K | -17% | 120 |
| South Carolina | $32K | -18% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -27% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -29% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $24K | -38% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 27 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track occupational therapy aides salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 46.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapy aides in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy aides typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,363/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 94% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is occupational therapy aide a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for occupational therapy aides?
Cleveland pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational therapy aides make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $38,860 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,720, and experienced occupational therapy aides can clear $59,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,742/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 46.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a occupational therapy aides salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median occupational therapy aides salary is worth about $41,376 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do occupational therapy aides get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.