Occupational Therapy Aides Salary
Occupational Therapy Aides in Oklahoma make a median of $34,670 a year, or about $16.67 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.46), which stretches that salary to about $39,641 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,081/month, about 45.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oklahoma. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in Oklahoma?
About occupational therapy aides
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What this looks like in Oklahoma
Pay for occupational therapy aides in Oklahoma runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,081/month, which is 45.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for occupational therapy aidess.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oklahoma
Entry-level occupational therapy aides (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapy Aides salary by metro in Oklahoma
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $34K | -2% | 60 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 45.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,081/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Oklahoma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy aides typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,909/month. At HUD’s $1,081/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Oklahoma?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $35K here vs. $39K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma compare to the national average for occupational therapy aides?
Oklahoma pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational therapy aides make in Oklahoma?
The median is $34,670 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,810, and experienced occupational therapy aides can clear $52,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Oklahoma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,395/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,081/month, which eats 45.1% 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 Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a Regional Price Parity of 87.46 (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 $39,641 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.