facebook tracking Occupational Therapy Assistant salary in California (2025): how much occupational therapy assistants make, by city

How much do occupational therapy assistants make in California?

What occupational therapy assistants earn in California and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).

May 2025#2 of 49 states
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Median pay in California
$81,770

a year, or $39.31 an hour. That is 13% more than the national median of $72,300.

The middle half of occupational therapy assistants in California earn $76,350 to $96,720.

Pay range in California
Bottom 10% earn under
$65,680
25th percentile
$76,350
Median
$81,770
75th percentile
$96,720
Top 10% earn over
$104,990
Rank among states
#2 of 49

California pays occupational therapy assistants more than 47 of the other 48 states. Highest: Maryland ($82,010).

Jobs in California
3,840

0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 0.64× the U.S. concentration.

Occupational Therapy Assistant pay in California cities

Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them.. Click a column to sort.

AreaPay a yearHourlyJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $78,090 $37.55 1,720
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $80,070 $38.50 400
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $82,680 $39.75 360
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $97,860 $47.05 290
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $95,180 $45.76 170
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $95,370 $45.85 160
Fresno, CA $76,030 $36.55 90
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $82,060 $39.45 80
Stockton-Lodi, CA $84,400 $40.58 60
Visalia, CA $81,200 $39.04 50
Bakersfield-Delano, CA $95,190 $45.77 40
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $86,440 $41.56 40
Modesto, CA $96,210 $46.25 30
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States with similar occupational therapy assistant pay

Maryland $82,010 median a year Texas $81,500 median a year Nevada $79,510 median a year · −3% vs California Arkansas $78,940 median a year · −3% vs California Delaware $78,640 median a year · −4% vs California Washington $77,590 median a year · −5% vs California

Other healthcare salaries in California

Home Health and Personal Care Aides $34,320 median a year · 970,150 jobs Registered Nurses $140,270 median a year · 338,940 jobs Medical Assistants $49,660 median a year · 117,060 jobs Nursing Assistants $47,630 median a year · 110,060 jobs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $79,750 median a year · 82,850 jobs Dental Assistants $50,110 median a year · 56,220 jobs Pharmacy Technicians $55,110 median a year · 39,860 jobs Pharmacists $164,610 median a year · 34,030 jobs Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $76,010 median a year · 29,210 jobs Physical Therapists $124,190 median a year · 26,580 jobs Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other $60,390 median a year · 26,540 jobs Physicians, All Other $281,590 median a year · 25,530 jobs
All healthcare salaries in California

Questions about occupational therapy assistant pay in California

How much does an occupational therapy assistant make in California?

Occupational Therapy Assistants in California earned a median of $81,770 a year ($39.31 an hour) in May 2025, 13% more than the national median of $72,300. The middle half earned $76,350 to $96,720.

Where in California do occupational therapy assistants earn the most?

Among areas in California, pay was highest in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $97,860.

How does California rank for occupational therapy assistant pay?

California ranks #2 of 49 states for occupational therapy assistants pay. Maryland pays the most, at $82,010 a year. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.

How many occupational therapy assistants work in California?

About 3,840 people worked as occupational therapy assistants in California in May 2025, or 0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.