Occupational Therapy Assistants
Healthcare Support · SOC 31-2011
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 31-2011 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 56/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $72,300
- H-1B offered wage $68,640; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 7,000
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +19.2%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 1
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 10,512 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~26.7% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with state laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training.
Common titles: Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant (Acute Care OT Assistant), Certified Occupational Assistant, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Licensed Occupational Therapist Assistant (LOTA), Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA)
Representative Tasks
- •Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.
- •Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
- •Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.
- •Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
- •Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Encourage patients during therapeutic activities.
- •Teach basic living or other adaptive skills to patients or caregivers.
- •Teach medical procedures or medical equipment use to patients.
- •Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning.
- •Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 1.9% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 69% Bright |
| Median Salary | $72,300 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |