Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary
Occupational Therapy Assistants in Texas make a median of $81,500 a year, or about $39.19 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $89,081 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $82K get you in Texas?
About occupational therapy assistants
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What this looks like in Texas
Texas sits well above the national pay line for occupational therapy assistants, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level occupational therapy assistants (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapy Assistants salary by metro in Texas
20 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $83K | +1% | 70 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $82K | +0% | 1,190 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $81K | -0% | 900 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $81K | -0% | 1,220 |
| Texarkana | $80K | -2% | 40 |
| Lubbock | $80K | -2% | 70 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $79K | -3% | 420 |
| Waco | $77K | -5% | 50 |
| Amarillo | $77K | -6% | 90 |
| Killeen-Temple | $76K | -6% | 90 |
| Longview | $76K | -7% | 50 |
| College Station-Bryan | $76K | -7% | 40 |
| Tyler | $75K | -8% | 70 |
| El Paso | $75K | -8% | 130 |
| Wichita Falls | $74K | -9% | 50 |
| Corpus Christi | $74K | -9% | 80 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $74K | -10% | 120 |
| Victoria | $74K | -10% | 60 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $72K | -11% | 80 |
| Laredo | $64K | -21% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 20 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapy assistants in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy assistants typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,659/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Texas?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $82K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Texas compare to the national average for occupational therapy assistants?
Texas pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in Texas?
The median is $81,500 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,980, and experienced occupational therapy assistants can clear $95,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,477/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 25.8% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $89,081 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.