Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary
Occupational Therapy Assistants in Illinois make a median of $64,120 a year, or about $30.83 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $68,322 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 33.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in Illinois?
About occupational therapy assistants
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for occupational therapy assistants in Illinois runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level occupational therapy assistants (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapy Assistants salary by metro in Illinois
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $68K | +6% | 1,710 |
| Springfield | $67K | +5% | 40 |
| Rockford | $63K | -2% | 40 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $61K | -5% | 70 |
| Bloomington | $60K | -6% | 50 |
| Peoria | $55K | -14% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track occupational therapy assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 33.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy assistants typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,870/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Illinois?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $64K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for occupational therapy assistants?
Illinois pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in Illinois?
The median is $64,120 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,830, and experienced occupational therapy assistants can clear $80,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,193/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 33.6% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $68,322 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.