Occupational Therapy Aides Salary
Occupational Therapy Aides in Tennessee make a median of $27,840 a year, or about $13.39 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $40K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $31,009 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 58.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Tennessee. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $28K get you in Tennessee?
About occupational therapy aides
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for occupational therapy aides in Tennessee runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 59.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Tennessee
Entry-level occupational therapy aides (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $40K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track occupational therapy aides salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 59.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy aides typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,542/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $28K here vs. $39K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for occupational therapy aides?
Tennessee pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapy aides make in Tennessee?
The median is $27,840 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,700, and experienced occupational therapy aides can clear $40,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,034/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 59.7% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $31,009 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.