Healthcare Support
Occupational Therapy Aides
Also called: Certified Occupational Rehabilitation Aide (CORA), Direct Service Professional (DSP), Direct Support Professional (DSP), Occupational Rehabilitation Aide
US median pay
$39,160
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+3.6%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
600
4,400 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.
What they do day to day
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
- Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
- Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
- Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
- Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment, and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.
- Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
- Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
- Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.6/5
- Coordination3.4/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Instructing3.0/5
- Persuasion2.9/5
Knowledge
- Therapy and Counseling4.4/5
- English Language4.2/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.1/5
- Psychology3.8/5
- Computers and Electronics3.7/5
- Education and Training3.6/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma37%
- Associate's degree28%
- Some college24%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.