Del Mar College, Windward OTA program costs $13,209. Here is how its graduates do.
An AAS program in Corpus Christi, 2 years (five terms after prerequisites). 92.0% of its graduates passed the NBCOT COTA exam in 2025.
The short version
- Its NBCOT COTA exam rate (92.0%) is close to the Texas program median of 92.0%.
- 95.0% of students who started finished the program.
- Its published cost is above the median for Texas OTA programs that publish one ($11,003).
- At 10% of the local median wage for occupational therapy assistants, the program cost is paid back in about 1.8 years.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How graduates do
ACOTE requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 4
| Year | NBCOT pass rate |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 92.0% |
| 2024 | 81.0% |
| 2023 | 90.0% |
New graduates who passed the NBCOT COTA certification exam, divided by new graduates who took it, as NBCOT or the program reports it. Job placement: graduates employed as occupational therapy assistants, as the program reports it.
Where the money goes
About half of every dollar goes to tuition (including prerequisite term). Tuition covers a prerequisite term ($1,515) and five program terms. Page says costs exclude core courses and electives and are subject to change.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition (including prerequisite term) | $7,489 |
| Student fee | $570 |
| Books, supplies and uniforms | $5,150 |
| Distance education fees | $0 |
| Total 1 | $13,209 |
Not included: living costs. In-district program cost table, undated (page updated Oct 20, 2026).
What occupational therapy assistants earn around Corpus Christi
The median yearly wage for occupational therapy assistants in the Corpus Christi metro area is $74,430. 3 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
After you graduate: getting to work in Texas
Texas requires an OTA license issued by the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners. Applicants must pass the NBCOT COTA exam (score sent by NBCOT directly to the Board), pass the Texas jurisprudence exam, and complete fingerprinting.
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Apply to NBCOT and pass the COTA certification exam.5 | $540 |
| Apply to the Texas OT Board for an OTA license by exam.6 | $100 |
| Pass the 20-question open-book online jurisprudence exam.7 | Free |
| Have NBCOT send the passing score to the Board, send a photo, and complete fingerprinting after applying (SSN required from Sept 1, 2026).8 | Not published |
| Optional: request a temporary license if taking the NBCOT exam for the first time.9 | $55not counted |
Typical fees to start working: $640. Counts the NBCOT exam ($540) and the Texas OTA application ($100). Fingerprinting is extra. Texas OTA licenses renew every two years by the end of the birth month with at least 24 contact hours of CE including a human trafficking course; NBCOT certification renews every three years with 36 units ($65 online). Full guide: how to become an occupational therapy assistant in Texas
With Del Mar College's published cost, the total to finish school and get credentialed is about $13,849, before prerequisites and living costs.
Program facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- 2 years (five terms after prerequisites)
- Starts
- Fall (application deadline July 15)
- Before you apply
- ENGL 1301, BIOL 2401, HPRS 1106 and HPRS 1204, with a 2.5 cumulative GPA.
- Entrance exam
- None mentioned
- Accreditation
- ACOTE, Accredited (ACOTE), last on-site 2021/2022, next 2028/2029 per ACOTE directory
- Leads to
- NBCOT COTA certification exam and a Texas license
Sources and dates
- Del Mar College OTA program page, In-district program cost table, undated (page updated Oct 20, 2026).
- Del Mar College, Windward program outcomes page, NBCOT School Performance Data, checked Nov. 5, 2026; graduation rate from the program's page (2023 to 2025).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Occupational Therapy Assistants (31-2011), May 2025 estimates.
- Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), checked Nov. 2026.
- NBCOT Fees, checked Nov 2026.
- Texas OT Board, Initial Licensure General Information (2026), Document dated 2026.
- Texas OT Board, OT Application, checked Nov 2026.
- Texas OT Board, OT Application, checked Nov 2026.
- Texas OT Board, Initial Licensure General Information (2026), Document dated 2026.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or ACOTE. Our independence policy