Prevailing Wage for Occupational Therapy Assistants
Prevailing wage for Occupational Therapy Assistants (SOC 31-2011) is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys across more than 200 metro areas. Whether your offer letter reads Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) or Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA), the same four experience levels apply, and the floor varies significantly by city.
See all jobs for this roleLook up your work address
Entry-level COTAs with less than two years of experience performing routine, closely supervised treatments under direct occupational therapist oversight. Typically a new graduate completing initial clinical hours with limited independent caseload responsibility.
Qualified COTAs with two or more years of experience carrying out established treatment plans with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Occupational Therapy Assistants sponsored on H-1B or green card petitions.
Experienced COTAs who handle complex caseloads, contribute to treatment plan development, and mentor junior assistants. These practitioners exercise independent judgment across a range of patient populations with minimal day-to-day therapist oversight.
Fully competent COTAs in lead or senior roles, often directing activity programs across a facility or department. Responsibilities typically include staff supervision, quality assurance documentation, and coordination with multidisciplinary care teams.
Prevailing Wage for Occupational Therapy Assistants by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for this role
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Occupational Therapy Assistants and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Occupational Therapy Assistants
Watch for staffing agency worksite mismatches
Many COTAs are placed by therapy staffing agencies into hospitals or skilled nursing facilities. The prevailing wage must reflect the actual worksite on the LCA, not the agency's headquarters city. A Sacramento placement requires Sacramento OES wages, even if the agency is headquartered elsewhere.
Confirm your COTA title maps to SOC 31-2011
Employers occasionally file LCAs under SOC 31-9099 or 29-1122 instead of 31-2011, which can shift the prevailing wage floor significantly. If your offer letter says Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant or Acute Care OT Assistant, verify the SOC code on the certified LCA before accepting.
Expect wide wage gaps between California and Southern metros
San Francisco and Modesto top the pay scale for this occupation, while markets like Baton Rouge and Chattanooga sit near the bottom of the national range. If you're comparing competing offers across states, check the L2 prevailing wage for each specific metro before negotiating base salary.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors with COTA hiring history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Occupational Therapy Assistants on H-1B or green card petitions before, so you can prioritize outreach to skilled nursing groups, health systems, and pediatric clinics that have already run the process for this occupation.
Jobs for Occupational Therapy Assistants are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 31-2011.00 alongside Occupational Therapy Assistants, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant (Acute Care OT Assistant) Prevailing Wage
Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant (Acute Care OT Assistant) Prevailing Wage
Acute Care Occupational Therapy Assistant (Acute Care OT Assistant) positions fall under SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Certified Occupational Assistant Prevailing Wage
Certified Occupational Assistant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Certified Occupational Assistant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) Prevailing Wage
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) Prevailing Wage
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Prevailing Wage
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Prevailing Wage
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) positions fall under SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Licensed Occupational Therapist Assistant (LOTA) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Occupational Therapist Assistant (LOTA) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Licensed Occupational Therapist Assistant (LOTA) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant (LOTA) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) Prevailing Wage
Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) Prevailing Wage
Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) positions fall under SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Prevailing Wage
Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Registered Therapist Assistant Prevailing Wage
Registered Therapist Assistant Prevailing Wage
Registered Therapist Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
School Based Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (School Based COTA) Prevailing Wage
School Based Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (School Based COTA) Prevailing Wage
School Based Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (School Based COTA) positions fall under SOC 31-2011.00 (Occupational Therapy Assistants). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Occupational Therapy Assistants?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and non-metropolitan survey areas. For SOC 31-2011, each area produces four wage levels based on the distribution of reported earnings. OFLC certifies those figures annually, and employers must use the current certified level when filing an LCA for a sponsored COTA position.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL maps experience, supervision, and job complexity to four levels. Level 1 covers closely supervised entry roles; Level 2 covers qualified practitioners working with moderate oversight; Level 3 covers experienced COTAs with independent caseload responsibility; Level 4 covers senior or lead practitioners directing programs or staff. The employer selects the level on the LCA based on actual job duties, not years of experience alone. Review the LCA's job description to confirm the level matches what you'll actually do.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same COTA role vary so much from city to city?
BLS conducts regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys separately in each metro area, so wages reflect local labor market conditions. DOL regulations require employers to use the wage for the actual worksite listed on the LCA, not a national average. High-cost California markets survey significantly higher OTA earnings than rural Southern metros, which is why the prevailing wage floor for an identical job title can differ by tens of thousands of dollars depending on where the facility is located.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA at a wage below the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite and level selected. If the offered salary falls short, the employer must either increase it to meet the floor or the LCA will not be certified by OFLC. Without a certified LCA, USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored petition. The prevailing wage is a legal minimum for sponsored roles, not a guideline.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific Occupational Therapy Assistants position in a U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 31-2011 wages by metropolitan area and level. Enter your intended worksite city and select the current prevailing wage year to see all four level figures. You can also search the OFLC disclosure data to see what wage levels employers have historically filed for COTA positions in that metro. Migrate Mate can complement this by showing which employers in that area have sponsored this occupation before, helping you identify where to apply.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Occupational Therapy Assistants right now.
Search Jobs for this role