Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary
Occupational Therapy Assistants in Florida make a median of $71,630 a year, or about $34.44 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $72,662 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 33.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $72K get you in Florida?
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What this looks like in Florida
Occupational therapy assistants pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $72K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,658/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level occupational therapy assistants (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapy Assistants salary by metro in Florida
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island | $78K | +8% | 50 |
| Port St. Lucie | $74K | +3% | 150 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $73K | +2% | 120 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $73K | +2% | 150 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $73K | +2% | 550 |
| Punta Gorda | $73K | +2% | 40 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $73K | +1% | 350 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $72K | +1% | 200 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $71K | -0% | 1,090 |
| Gainesville | $71K | -1% | 70 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $71K | -1% | 70 |
| Jacksonville | $71K | -2% | 340 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $69K | -4% | 120 |
| Homosassa Springs | $68K | -5% | 90 |
| Tallahassee | $66K | -7% | 50 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $66K | -8% | 110 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapy assistants in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy assistants typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,593/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is occupational therapy assistant a high-paying job in Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $72K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for occupational therapy assistants?
Florida pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in Florida?
The median is $71,630 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,890, and experienced occupational therapy assistants can clear $79,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,898/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 33.9% 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 assistants salary go in Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $72,662 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.