Occupational Therapy Assistants Salary
Occupational Therapy Assistants in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA make a median of $61,560 a year, or about $29.6 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $70,710 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 26% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for occupational therapy assistants in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $64K | $70K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $62K | $69K |
| Cedar Rapids | $53K | $59K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $68K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level occupational therapy assistants (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $27K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 26% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapy assistants in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy assistants typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,860/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $62K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for occupational therapy assistants?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do occupational therapy assistants make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $61,560 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,670, and experienced occupational therapy assistants can clear $74,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,035/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 26% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $70,710 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.