Occupational therapy assistant salary in California
Open occupational therapy assistant jobs in California post a median of $45 an hour, the middle half $39.50–$49.25 (about $93,600 a year full time), $10 above the national posted median. From 25 jobs at 12 employers that state their pay.
The jobs themselves: Occupational therapy assistant jobs in California · Occupational therapy assistant pay nationwide
What occupational therapy assistants are paid in California
Each bar counts the open jobs posting an hourly rate in its step of pay (a range at its midpoint).
Posted on open jobs in California
Middle half of 24 employer rates (each employer's advertised range once), median $45. 31% of the 81 open occupational therapy assistant jobs in California state an hourly rate.
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Occupational therapy assistant pay by town in California
Towns where at least three open jobs state an hourly rate, the towns with the most such jobs first.
| Town | Median posted | Posted range | Jobs (employers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | $52.50 | $43–$63.25 | 3 (3) |
Median of employers' rates in the town, the lowest and highest rate posted, and the jobs and employers behind them. A town opens its own job page.
Occupational therapy assistant pay by employer in California
What each employer posts for occupational therapy assistants here, the employers with the most jobs stating pay first.
Median of each employer's jobs in California (a range at its midpoint), and its lowest and highest rate here. An employer's name opens its pay for occupational therapy assistants nationwide when it has such a page.
Best-paid open occupational therapy assistant jobs in California
The open jobs posting the highest hourly rates tonight, at most two from one employer.
Occupational Therapist (OT or COTA)
Genesis HealthCare · Alameda, CA· 2w ago
$65.00/hrCertified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)-Full Time
PACS Group · Santa Rosa, CA· 1w ago
$58–$61/hr
Occupational Therapy Assistant II, Per Diem
Sutter Health · Oakland, CA· 2mo ago
$45.18–$63.25/hrCertified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) - PRN
PACS Group · Oakland, CA· 6d ago
$50–$55/hrCertified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
Genesis HealthCare · Stockton, Santa Clara and 1 more, CA· 2d ago
$43–$58/hr
Occupational Therapy Assistant II
Sutter Health · Crescent City, CA· 2w ago
$40.61–$56.85/hrCertified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) – Home Health
Cornerstone Healthcare · Oceanside, San Diego and 1 more, CA· 1w ago
$40–$50/hrErnest Health · Sacramento, CA· 3w ago
$45.00/hrOccupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
Central Valley Specialty Hospital · Modesto, CA· 9mo ago
$38–$50/hr
COTA - Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
CommonSpirit Health · Stockton, CA· 3mo ago
$40.92–$46.27/hr
Per Diem Occupational Therapy Assistant - Acute Care
Kaweah Health · Visalia, CA· 9mo ago
$42.50/hrCertified Occupational Therapy Assistant / COTA - Part Time
Ernest Health · Bakersfield, CA· 1d ago
$39.75/hr
What BLS measures in California
What people employed in the occupation earned in the state, at every level of experience, from the BLS survey. A posting advertises what a new hire is offered.
BLS median by metro area
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$37.55/hr (source: BLS OEWS, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, opens in a new tab)
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$38.50/hr (source: BLS OEWS, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, opens in a new tab)
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$39.75/hr (source: BLS OEWS, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, opens in a new tab)
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$47.05/hr (source: BLS OEWS, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, opens in a new tab)
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$45.76/hr (source: BLS OEWS, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA, opens in a new tab)
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$45.85/hr (source: BLS OEWS, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, opens in a new tab)
- Fresno, CA$36.55/hr (source: BLS OEWS, Fresno, CA, opens in a new tab)
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$39.45/hr (source: BLS OEWS, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA, opens in a new tab)
Occupational therapy assistant salary in California: common questions
How much does an occupational therapy assistant make in California?
Open occupational therapy assistant jobs in California that state an hourly rate post a median of $45, the middle half $39.50–$49.25 (25 jobs from 12 employers). Full time that is about $93,600 a year. BLS measured a median of $39.31/hr ($81,770 a year) for people employed in the occupation in California (May 2025).
Which employers in California pay occupational therapy assistants the most?
Among employers stating a rate on at least three open jobs here: Genesis HealthCare ($50.25), Sutter Health ($48.75) and PACS Group ($47.50).
How does California compare with the rest of the country?
The posted median in California ($45) is $10 above the national posted median of $35. In the BLS survey California ranks 2 of 50 by median wage.
Where do these figures come from?
From the pay open jobs state, read every night from each employer's own job board: 25 of 81 open occupational therapy assistant jobs in California (31%) state an hourly rate. No pay is estimated for a job that states none; "up to" ceilings and weekly travel rates are left out.
Occupational therapy assistant pay in other states
Sources and method
- CareJobs.Now job board: the pay open jobs state, read nightly from each employer's own careers site, published October 24, 2026
- BLS OEWS May 2025: Occupational Therapy Assistants (SOC 31-2011), every state, published May 15, 2026
- BLS OEWS May 2025: Occupational Therapy Assistants, national, published May 15, 2026
- BLS OEWS May 2025: Occupational Therapy Assistants by metropolitan area, published May 15, 2026
Cite this page
CareJobs.Now. (2026). Occupational therapy assistant salary in California. Data as of October 24, 2026. https://carejobs.now/salaries/occupational-therapy-assistant/california