Jan 14
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Top 10 Accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools In The US
Interested in becoming an occupational therapy assistant? Excellent choice.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projected job outlook for certified occupational therapy assistants (COTA) is at 43%, which means more employment opportunities for COTAs in the next ten years.
As of May 2012, the salary for COTAs range from $53,240 to $73,120 per year. Sounds like a good career?
Here are the top 10 occupational therapy assistant schools in the country today.
1. Pennsylvania State University — Berks Campus
Associate in Occupational Therapy
Financial Aid: federal grants, loans, work-study, state grants and scholarships
Contact Information: P.O. Box 7009, Tulpehocken Road Reading, PA 19610-6009
(610) 396-6425
Penn State Berks is a college of the Pennsylvania State University. Founded in 1958, the school has about 2,800 full- and part-time students. The average class size in Penn State Berks is just 24, and the student to faculty ratio is pretty good at 19:1. There are no online courses for the program and you will have to attend classes at Penn State for four semesters to complete your degree. Penn State Berks is among the best occupational therapy assistant schools in the country.
Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy
Financial Aid: federal and state grants, federal loans and work-study, president’s and university scholarships
Contact Information: 940 Second Street Portsmouth, OH 45662-4303
(740) 351-3209
Founded in 1986, Shawnee sits on a 50-acre campus in Portsmouth, Ohio. The student population is more than 4,700 of full- and part-time students. Student to faculty ratio is 18:1 and 85% of its graduates are employed relative to their degree within 6 months after graduation. Shawnee offers more than 80 bachelor’s and associate degree programs within its campus.
Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: federal grants, loans and scholarships
Contact Information: 3100 McCormick Avenue Wichita, KS 67213-2097
(316) 942-4291 x2238
Located in Wichita, Kansas, Newman is a private Catholic university that was founded in 1933. Newman’s curriculum is rooted in the liberal arts, and the university offers online classes as well as weekend and evening courses. About 45% of Newman students attend the school part-time and student to teacher ratio is great at 15:1. Newman also offers programs in Oklahoma, Colorado, Western and Southeast Kansas.
4. St. Catherine University – Minneapolis
Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: federal and state loans, grants, scholarships and student employment
Contact Information: 601 25th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55454-1494
(651) 690-7800
St. Kate is a private Catholic university for women that was founded in 1905 and the Minneapolis campus sits on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The total student population is 5,075 and its student to faculty ratio is excellent at 11:1. Average class size for associate degrees is 20. While attending St. Kate, you may take courses in 4 other schools that are members of The Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC): University of St. Thomas, Hamline University, Augsburg College and Macalester College.
5. Mercyhurst University, McCauley College of Associate Degree Studies
Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: federal, state and institutional grants, loans and veteran services
Contact Information: 16 West Division Street North East, PA 16428
(814) 725-6279
Another Catholic liberal arts university, Mercyhurst’s Northeast Pennsylvania campus size is 84 acres, with 14 buildings located 15 minutes east of Erie. Mercyhurst Northeast offers 31 academic programs, which includes 26 Associate Degrees. The student to faculty ratio at Mercyhurst is 14:1 and the average class size is 25. The admission rate at Mercyhurst is pretty high at 76.7%. The university is one of the top occupational therapy assistant schools in the US.
6. Arkansas Tech University – Ozark Campus
Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: federal and state loans, grants, scholarships and student employment
Contact Information: 1700 Helberg Lane Ozark, AR 72949-2013
(479) 667-2117
Arkansas Tech was founded in 1909, and is a public university sitting on a campus size of 559 acres in Russellville, Arkansas. The Ozark is its two-year satellite campus and is one of the leading providers of technical and career education in the region. The student to teacher ratio at Arkansas Tech is 18:1 and the population is pretty diverse, with students coming in from 41 states and 38 countries.
Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: scholarships, federal loans and work-study programs
Contact Information: 27 West 23rd Street New York, NY 11010
(866) TOURO4U
Established in 1971, Touro is an independent Jewish college in New York City. The school offers more than 20 undergraduate bachelor’s program and several associate degrees. To support close student-faculty relationships, Touro’s student to faculty ratio is 11:1. The school has branch campuses in Jerusalem, Berlin, Moscow and Florida with approximately 19,000 enrollees in various divisions and schools.
8. University of Southern Indiana
Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: loans, work-study, scholarships and grants
Contact Information: Occupational Therapy Assistant Department
College of Nursing and Health Professions
8600 University Boulevard Evansville, IN 47712-3534
(812) 465-1179
USI is a public institution that was founded in 1965 as a regional campus of Indiana State University. Today, it is an independent state university made up of five colleges that include nursing and health professions, education and human services, business, liberal arts and science and engineering. The school’s current population is 9,902 and 84.4% of its recent grads work in fields relative to their education.
9. University of Louisiana – Monroe
Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: grants, loans, alternative loans and federal work-study
Contact Information: College of Health Sciences
Department of Occupational Therapy
Monroe, LA 71209-9000
(318) 342-1610
With its low tuition and majority of students receiving aid, UL Monroe is a public university with great educational value. The school was founded in 1931 and sits on a campus size of 238 acres. The average class size at the university is just 19, and student to teacher ratio is at 17:1. There are currently 91 undergraduate and graduate degree programs being offered in UL Monroe.
10. Pennsylvania College of Technology
Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Financial Aid: federal work-study, loans, scholarships, grants, veterans benefits and agency sponsorships
Contact Information: Advanced Technology/Health Sciences Center, W244
One College Avenue
Williamsport, PA 17701-5799
(570) 321-5549
Pennsylvania College of Technology was founded in 1941 and is a public institution with a campus size of 998 acres. Located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the school offers certificate, associate and undergraduate degrees in more than 100 fields of study. The student population in Penn Tech in approximately 6,000 and roughly 62% are males. The school is affiliated with The Pennsylvania State University. Penn Tech is often voted among the best occupational therapy assistant schools in America.
Certified occupational therapy assistants help in the mental and physical rehabilitation of patients under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist. If you have the patience, dedication and passion to help people, you’ll do great as a COTA. Apply to any of these top occupational therapy assistant schools today.