Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary
Occupational Therapy Assistants in Jackson, MS make a median of $63,540 a year, or about $30.55 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.05), which stretches that salary to about $71,353 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,288/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Jackson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jackson’s Regional Price Parity (89.05). 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 Jackson
Pay for occupational therapy assistants in Jackson runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,288/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational therapy assistants in metros near Jackson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $61K | $68K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $65K | $68K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $79K | $88K |
| Knoxville | $60K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jackson, MS
Entry-level occupational therapy assistants (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $26K 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 with published data
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 Jackson numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jackson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 30.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,288/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 Jackson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy assistants typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,133/month. At HUD’s $1,288/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Jackson?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $64K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Jackson compare to the national average for occupational therapy assistants?
Jackson pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in Jackson, MS?
The median is $63,540 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,210, and experienced occupational therapy assistants can clear $78,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Jackson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,175/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,288/month, which eats 30.9% 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 Jackson?
Jackson has a Regional Price Parity of 89.05 (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 $71,353 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.