Occupational Therapy Aides Salary
Occupational Therapy Aides in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA make a median of $44,980 a year, or about $21.62 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $38,907 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,604/month, about 116.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for occupational therapy aides, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,604/month, which is 116.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapy aides in metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $40K | $35K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $69K | $64K |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $37K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level occupational therapy aides (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $510 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 116.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy aides typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,699/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 134% 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $45K here vs. $39K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for occupational therapy aides?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapy aides make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $44,980 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,980, and experienced occupational therapy aides can clear $45,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,099/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 116.3% 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (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 $38,907 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.