Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary
Occupational Therapy Assistants in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL make a median of $62,010 a year, or about $29.81 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.08), which stretches that salary to about $72,038 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $992/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Cape Girardeau?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cape Girardeau’s Regional Price Parity (86.08). 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 assistants
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What this looks like in Cape Girardeau
Pay for occupational therapy assistants in Cape Girardeau runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $72K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $992/month, 23.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.08 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Cape Girardeau can be a reasonable trade-off for occupational therapy assistantss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapy assistants in metros near Cape Girardeau, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $67K | $71K |
| Kansas City | $71K | $77K |
| Springfield | $61K | $69K |
| Columbia | $63K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
Entry-level occupational therapy assistants (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapy Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Occupational Therapy Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $82K | +13% | 710 |
| California | $82K | +13% | 3,840 |
| Texas | $82K | +13% | 5,610 |
| Nevada | $80K | +10% | 220 |
| Arkansas | $79K | +9% | 730 |
| Delaware | $79K | +9% | 220 |
| Washington | $78K | +7% | 720 |
| New Mexico | $77K | +7% | 300 |
| Oregon | $77K | +6% | 250 |
| Georgia | $76K | +5% | 1,060 |
| Colorado | $75K | +4% | 710 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +4% | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +4% | 1,080 |
| Virginia | $75K | +4% | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $74K | +2% | 830 |
| Arizona | $73K | +2% | 1,120 |
| Montana | $73K | +1% | 60 |
| Connecticut | $73K | +1% | 820 |
| Hawaii | $73K | +1% | 60 |
| Florida | $72K | -1% | 3,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $72K | -1% | 2,560 |
| North Carolina | $69K | -4% | 1,590 |
| New York | $69K | -5% | 2,230 |
| New Hampshire | $68K | -6% | 150 |
| Rhode Island | $67K | -8% | 300 |
| Indiana | $67K | -8% | 1,490 |
| Oklahoma | $67K | -8% | 1,000 |
| District of Columbia | $66K | -8% | 60 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -9% | 760 |
| Utah | $66K | -9% | 280 |
| Missouri | $66K | -9% | 1,470 |
| Idaho | $65K | -10% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -10% | 500 |
| Kansas | $65K | -10% | 660 |
| Minnesota | $65K | -10% | 540 |
| Maine | $64K | -11% | 250 |
| Iowa | $64K | -11% | 400 |
| Illinois | $64K | -11% | 2,470 |
| Michigan | $63K | -13% | 1,250 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -13% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -13% | 80 |
| Ohio | $63K | -13% | 3,890 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -14% | 1,300 |
| Alabama | $62K | -14% | 750 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -15% | 420 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -16% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -17% | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -17% | 1,050 |
| South Dakota | $56K | -22% | 100 |
| Alaska | $54K | -26% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track occupational therapy assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cape Girardeau numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cape Girardeau?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 23.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $992/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapy assistants in Cape Girardeau?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy assistants typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,392/month. At HUD’s $992/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is occupational therapy assistant a high-paying job in Cape Girardeau?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $62K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cape Girardeau compare to the national average for occupational therapy assistants?
Cape Girardeau pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in Cape Girardeau, MO-IL?
The median is $62,010 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,530, and experienced occupational therapy assistants can clear $74,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Cape Girardeau?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,142/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $992/month, which eats 23.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a occupational therapy assistants salary go in Cape Girardeau?
Cape Girardeau has a Regional Price Parity of 86.08 (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 assistants salary is worth about $72,038 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do occupational therapy assistants 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.