Job Features

• Occupational therapy can be beneficial for people with physical, developmental, mental or emotional disabilities. They may have experienced an injury or an illness that created temporary or permanent partial loss of function, or they may have a congenital disorder such as cerebral palsy. The COTA helps evaluate each client's daily living skills and limitations. She assists with educational, vocational and recreational programs developed for clients by the occupational therapist. These programs help restore and improve performance, promote health and enhance the ability to live independently.
  
  

Requirements

• An aspiring COTA in Mississippi must first obtain an associate degree from a certified program, according to the Mississippi Hospital Association's Health Careers Center. After graduation, he passes a national examination to gain professional certification.
  
  

Comparisons

• The nationwide average salary for all occupational therapy assistants was about $49,400 as of January 2010, reports CBSalary. In contrast, a COTA earned an extra $10,000 per year on average, at $59,100. The average COTA salary in Mississippi was $51,800 as of January 2010.
  
  

Salary Range

• The median nationwide salary range for COTAs is $48,700 to $82,091, compared with $42,700 to $72,000 in Mississippi in 2011. Salaries vary a great deal by city. COTAs in Clarksdale, for instance, were earning an average salary of $46,700, while those in Gulfport had an average income of $65,300. The average COTA salary in Jackson was $47,900, in Hattiesburg $54,800 and in Tupelo $60,000.
  
  

Outlook

• The employment outlook for COTAs is excellent, according to the Mississippi Hospital Association Health Careers Center. Demand for these assistants is exceeding the number of qualified applicants. Advances in medicine are increasing survival rates, and many of these patients need rehabilitative therapy. In addition, the elderly population is increasing, and some of these individuals can benefit from occupational therapy to maintain an independent lifestyle.