Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
How this pay compares
This posting states $24–$35 an hour. Occupational therapy assistants employed in South Dakota earn a median of $27.01 an hour (source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025) (source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics).
Occupational therapy assistants in South Dakota: pay by town and employer
Physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy jobs in our research
- How long these jobs stay listed: Still listed at 7 days 86.1%
- Applicant demand per open job on this site (1.00x is the average job): Index 0.23x · Clicks 25
- How often these jobs state their pay: Jobs stating any pay 49.7% · Stating an hourly rate 30.1%
From every open job we read and every apply click on this site, as of 5 Nov 2026. Every figure for Physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy jobs
About the job
Location
Therapy Center-Aberdeen
Worker Type
Regular
Work Shift
Primarily days with rotating weekends and holidays (United States of America)
Pay Range
The pay range for this position is listed below. Actual pay rate dependent upon experience.
$24.00 - $35.00
Position Highlights
You Belong at Avera
Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.
A Brief Overview
Under the supervision of the Occupational Therapist, responsible to administer specified evaluations, conduct general activity programs, and assist in implementing specific treatment programs for individual patients and patient groups. Collaborates with interdisciplinary treatment team.
What you will do
- Provides input on evaluation as appropriate under supervision of a staff Occupational Therapist.
- Plans treatment programs with supervising therapist.
- Assists in identifying goals, determining treatment priorities and selecting appropriate treatment media.
- Executes treatment programs under supervision of staff therapist.
- Coordinates programs with other therapists.
- Prepares documentation as required by the department, such as input on evaluation results, treatment plans, progress reports and patient attendance records.
- Communicates observations, facts, and comments with interdisciplinary team members, individually and through team meeting participation.
- Assists with staff/student on the job training/orientation.
- Provides monitoring of assigned student interns.
- Attends care conferences as needed.
Essential Qualifications
The individual must be able to work the hours specified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds. These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
- Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) - National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Certified in the state of practice Upon Hire
Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
- 1-3 years
Expectations and Standards
- Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
- Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
- Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
- Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.
Benefits You Need & Then Some
Avera is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to qualifying part-time and full-time employees. We support you with opportunities to help live balanced, healthy lives. Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future.
- PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.
- Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement
- Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship
Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org .
From Avera Health's job posting, checked 5 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
Selected agencies hiring now
All agencies and apps →
NURSES Etc StaffingHealthcare staffing agency
Healthcare staffing firm since 2000 placing travel, per diem, local PRN and government service clinicians.
Places: Nurses, CNAs & PCTs, Doctors, Therapy & rehab

AHS StaffingTravel nursing agency
Places travel and local contract nurses and allied professionals.
Places: Nurses, CNAs & PCTs, Therapy & rehab, Mental health
These agencies and apps pay CareJobs.Now a referral fee when someone we introduce is placed or signs up. It costs you nothing and never changes your pay. Hospital and clinic jobs below keep their own order.
Sponsored jobs from job networks, which pay CareJobs.Now when you click one.
Free tools for this application: check your resume against this job, answer the application's questions or see every free tool.
New physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy jobs in South Dakota, by email
One email a week with the newest ones, straight from the employers' own careers sites, with the pay each posting states. Free, stop anytime.
About Avera Health
Regional health system with more than 300 (source: Avera Health, Health Services at Avera) locations in 100 (source: Avera Health, Health Services at Avera) communities across South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota. Source: Avera Health, Health Services at Avera
Based in Sioux Falls, SDHires in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North DakotaPay on its listings: 58.9% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
More open jobs at Avera Health
- Behavioral Health Technician II | Adolescent Unit$21.75–$33.00/hr
- Behavioral Health Technician II | Behavioral Health Urgent Care$21.75–$33.00/hr
- Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) | Long Term Care
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) II$20.75–$27.50/hr
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)|Paramedic|Emergency Unit$21.75–$33.75/hr
- Medical Assistant (MA) | Cardiology$20.00–$28.00/hr
More physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapy jobs
A licensed therapist?
One profile for every employer here. Hospitals, clinics and care companies ask us for people with a specific license, specialty, language or schedule: add yours once, and when a job fits, we introduce you, only with your yes. Free.
Avera Health openings, sent to you weekly
Each week we send the newest postings from Avera Health's own careers site, along with similar openings at other hospitals and care employers. It costs nothing and you can stop anytime.