Occupational therapy professionals help people with an injury, illness, or disability live more independent lives through thoughtful, creative treatment plans. In return, occupational therapists and OT assistants enjoy seeing clients improve and a career in a growing industry.
Every day, occupational therapy (OT) professionals help people overcome challenges that can affect their independence, confidence, and quality of life. It's a career built on compassion, problem-solving, and a desire to make a meaningful difference, qualities that continue to attract students seeking a purpose-driven healthcare profession. If you've been asking, “How does occupational therapy help?,” you're not alone.
At St. Catherine University, we help students answer that question for themselves in our Online Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) or OT-Bridge programs. Our university is dedicated to empowering students to become leaders in holistic OT care through our comprehensive curriculum and preparing students for the NBCOT licensing exam post-graduation.
Explore what helping professionals are and how the OT role is rewarding for both practitioners and clients.
What Are Helping Professionals?
Helping professionals are individuals whose jobs primarily involve direct outreach to improve the lives of community members. These careers may treat a client’s mental, physical, social, or spiritual health to resolve internal and external conflicts and promote growth.
Professions that enable people to help others are essential to a healthy society. Those who choose these roles provide access to healthcare, social services, education, and other resources that improve overall quality of life. These helping professions bring passion and empathy to the workforce, creating more effective businesses and teams.
How Does Occupational Therapy Help Patients?
OT is among the careers that help people because its goal is to help those with injuries, illnesses, or disabilities achieve independence and perform activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs are the things we need to do to lead rich, fulfilling lives and may differ for everyone. For example, an ADL for a child with autism might be going to school.
In that case, occupational therapy might involve working with the parents and child to overcome social phobias or learn to navigate a world of complex social cues. Alternatively, for someone who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the goal of occupational therapy might be relearning the skills needed to return to work and daily living.
Learn more about occupational therapy for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and how it supports recovery.
This makes occupational therapy a remarkably broad field, serving the needs of six distinct areas of practice:
- Children and Youth
- Productive Aging
- Health and Wellness
- Mental Health
- Rehabilitation and Disability
- Work and Industry
And the therapies or interventions employed to help clients achieve their goals are equally varied, ranging from basic exercises and restructuring tasks to making home modifications and lifestyle changes.
Where Do Occupational Therapy Professionals Work?
Occupational therapy’s broad scope affords practitioners the flexibility to specialize in specific areas of interest or to take a more general approach, working with patients of all ages and needs. It also means that OTs and OTAs can work in a variety of settings, including:
- Client homes
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Rehabilitation centers
- Schools
- Corporate offices
Why Occupational Therapy Is a Rewarding Career
In occupational therapy, every client is different. OTs and OTAs must use their creativity to tailor treatment plans and adapt to clients’ ever-changing needs. This means thinking outside the box, even using repurposing everyday items, to help clients navigate their lives more easily.
Working with clients to overcome these challenges and roadblocks yields a compelling reward when your hard work pays off. An OTA career is rewarding because you can see the difference your work makes in every patient’s life.
Occupational Therapy Career Outlook and Salary
It is important to note that the occupational therapy profession is growing at a rate far outpacing the overall American job market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of employed OTAs is expected to grow 19% between 2024 and 2034 and 14% for OTs in that same period. These rates are in stark contrast to the projected 3% growth for all occupations.
Additionally, as of May 2024, the BLS reported a median annual wage of $68,340 for OTAs, placing it on U.S. News & World Report’s list of highest-paying associate degree jobs. As an OT, you can appreciate an even higher median annual wage of $98,340, according to the BLS.
How to Start a Career in Occupational Therapy
To help people lead independent and meaningful lives, you’ll need the training and experience to become a great OTA, as well as certification and a state license. Here’s how to become an OTA in three simple steps.
1. Apply for an OTA Program
Before you apply for OTA school, you need to talk to an admissions counselor, who will walk you through the admissions process from start to finish.
Your admissions counselor will then review your previous course history to determine which, if any, of the four prerequisite courses you’ll need to complete to be eligible to begin the program. They will also assess whether you will need to complete any of the six required Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) courses, which may be taken before or during your time in the Online OTA program, depending on your chosen curriculum option.
St. Kate’s offers two LAS curriculum options:
- Complete the LAS and OTA classes separately to spread your course load over a longer period.
- Complete the classes simultaneously for a heavier course load with an earlier program completion date.
Upon establishing a plan to tackle any prerequisite or LAS courses, your counselor will help you sign up for these courses, which can be taken online through St. Kate’s. To be eligible for the Online OTA program, you must complete the four prerequisite courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
After meeting the requirements, you can start the formal application process.
2. Complete the OTA Program
After being accepted into the program, you’re ready to start the online OTA coursework. The program is split into three learning components:
- Online Coursework: Students complete assignments through our online e-learning platform, engaging with the material at their own pace while still meeting deadlines.
- Skills Labs: Supervised by certified, highly experienced instructors, these labs enable students to practice core OTA skills. All labs are completed in person at your chosen site in Virginia, California, Minnesota, or Texas.
- Fieldwork: Divided into Fieldwork I and Fieldwork II, students complete 720 hours of supervised activity in various practice areas of occupational therapy.
3. Take the NBCOT and Apply for COTA Licensure
Successful completion of St. Kate’s online OTA program allows you to sit for the NBCOT exam to become a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). To help students prepare for the exam, St. Kate’s has built NBCOT prep into the program, where you can participate in general group instruction and additional one-on-one coaching available if needed.
After passing the NBCOT exam, the final step to becoming a COTA is to apply for licensure in the state you plan to practice in. Keep in mind that each state has its own regulatory body, so the application process will vary by state.
Once you obtain your state license, you’ll be able to start working as an OTA.
Why Choose an Online OTA Program to Get Started
Thanks to our blended learning format, OTA students at St. Kate’s can graduate ready to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam in as few as 16 months. How long it will take you depends on your educational background and how many prerequisite courses you have already completed.
To be considered for admission to St. Kate’s, you must meet the following requirements:
- A high school diploma or a passing GED exam score
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at the high school or college level
With three start dates per year and four OTA locations across the country, St. Kate’s Online OTA program gets you moving on your degree without the wait.
Find out more about the benefits and career opportunities for OTAs.
Already an OTA? Advance Your Career Through an OT-Bridge Program
If you are already working as a certified OTA, St. Kate’s allows you to build upon your education to earn a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy (MAOT) on a faster timeline.
In the OT-Bridge program, students work through the mostly online curriculum to earn their master’s degree. Depending on your degree level, we provide two admission paths:
- Direct Entry Pathway: This option is designed for OTAs who already hold a qualifying bachelor’s degree.
- Students may enroll directly into the OT Bridge Program.
- Allows students to earn their MAOT in as few as 20 months.
- Health Science – Pre-OT-Bridge Track: This path is designed for OTAs who need to complete a bachelor’s degree first.
- Students earn an Applied Health Science Bachelor's degree, followed by the MAOT.
- Creates a structured, seamless progression from undergraduate to graduate study.
- Students can complete both degrees in as few as seven semesters.
- 44 of the course credits count toward both your Applied Health Science bachelor’s degree and the MAOT.
Begin a Career That Helps People at St. Catherine University
St. Catherine University is committed to aiding our students in living meaningful lives and helping their communities. To do so, St. Kate’s offers three start dates annually in January, May, and September and cohorts in California, Minnesota, Texas, and Virginia. Additionally, our university reviews and responds to applications on a rolling basis, so the earlier you apply, the less competition you will face.
Request more information to speak with an admissions counselor and find out if St. Kate’s Online OTA and OT-Bridge programs are right for you.
