Parker graduates live to serve. With an Occupational Therapy Assistant degree, our students serve others through targeted therapy and care. Our Occupational Therapy Assistant track teaches students to customize treatment plans, provide adaptive recommendations, perform skills assessments and offer guidance to patients and other health care providers. This comprehensive, flexible degree allows students to serve and care for others, while preparing them for the multifaceted health care field.
Guided by the mission and vision of Parker University, the Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S) – is a high-quality, comprehensive program; through combined instruction, clinical practice, and research, graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to transform the lives of the individuals they serve and have an overall positive influence in community wellness.
Overall employment of occupational therapy assistants and aides is projected to grow 25 percent from 2021 to 2031. Source
Projected employment for Occupational therapy assistants and aides is 11,500 by 2031. Source
The median annual wage for occupational therapy assistants was $61,510 in 2021. Source
State Licensure
Total program costs:
OTA Program Fees:
Malpractice Insurance:
Criminal background check – $75.00
Drug Test – $35
Additional Expenses (while in the OTA program)
In addition to tuition and textbooks, school supplies and fees, OTA students should expect to have the following expenses:
The above items will be available for purchase in the Parker University bookstore. (Prices subject to change.)
Professional Association student membership (required for OTHA 1305, one-time fee)
Certification and Licensure fees (attached to OTHA 2561, one-time fee)
Please note: Additional costs for Texas state licensure, $38.25- background check fee. There is a $55 cost for an optional temporary license. These costs are NOT included in the Certification and Licensure fees. The above listed cost for licensure is for the state of Texas only. Costs may vary from state to state, any additional costs for licensure outside of the state of Texas is not included in the above listed cost.
Clinical Fieldwork
The below items are required for the completion of Clinical Fieldwork experiences and are not included in tuition and fees. Students must provide proof of the below prior to attending clinical fieldwork experiences:
Please note: Costs to attend clinical experiences including: meals, travel, parking, lab coats, scrubs, closed toe rubber sole shoes or tennis shoes, room and board (if necessary), and any other costs incurred with clinical education courses are not included in tuition and fees.
The associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Phone:(301)652-6611 x2042
Website: https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Accreditation.aspx
email: accred@aota.org
Our graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT exam for professional certification and/or attain state licensure.
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) data results are available at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx
The total number of graduates from the Parker University Occupational Therapy Assistant program.
| Graduation Year |
Students Entering/Graduating |
Graduation Rate |
| 2016 | 14/11 | 78% |
| 2017 | 27/25 | 93% |
| 2018 | 53/38 | 72% includes students from an Articulation/Teach-out agreement |
| 2019 | 44/42 | 95% Includes students from an Articulation/Teach-out agreement |
| 2020 | 31/23 | 74% |
| 2021 | 21/15 | 72% |
| 2022 | 32/26 | 81% |
| TOTAL | 222/180 | 81% |
Graduation ceremonies are held at the end of each trimester. Application for graduation must be made through the Registrar’s Office by the published deadline, but preferably at least one semester prior to graduation. Students who apply for graduation but fail to meet graduation requirements must reapply and pay appropriate fees. The Registrar’s Office will certify the completion of graduation requirements.
Parker University’s graduation requirements for an Associate of Applied Science with a major in Occupational Therapy Assistant Program are as follows:
In Addition, students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program must comply with all established criteria as outlined in the programmatic curriculum in order to be eligible for graduation.
Students must compete 16 weeks of fieldwork level-II externship within 12 months of completing the academic coursework. The level-II fieldwork will require a minimum passing grade of 70% in order to obtain full credit.
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