Occupational Therapy Aides Salary
Occupational Therapy Aides in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX make a median of $42,790 a year, or about $20.57 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.09), that's roughly $41,507 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,931/month, about 62.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington’s Regional Price Parity (103.09). 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Occupational therapy aides pay in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,931/month, which is 63.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapy aides in metros near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $41K | $42K |
| Oklahoma City | $34K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Entry-level occupational therapy aides (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $68K 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 63.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,931/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy aides typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,488/month. At HUD’s $1,931/month FMR, rent would take 130% 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington compare to the national average for occupational therapy aides?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational therapy aides make in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX?
The median is $42,790 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,800, and experienced occupational therapy aides can clear $92,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,035/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,931/month, which eats 63.6% 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has a Regional Price Parity of 103.09 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median occupational therapy aides salary is worth about $41,507 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.