Houston Community College OTA program: pass rate, jobs and local pay
An AAS program in Houston, 2 years full time or 3 years part time. 86.0% of its graduates passed the NBCOT COTA exam in 2025.
The short version
- Its NBCOT COTA exam rate (86.0%) is below the Texas program median of 92.0%.
- 83.0% of students who started finished the program.
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. 3
| Year | NBCOT pass rate |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 86.0% |
| 2024 | 76.0% |
| 2023 | 87.0% |
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.
What it costs
Houston Community College does not publish a total cost for this program. Program page points only to a general tuition calculator; no program total or itemized list Ask the program for its cost sheet; contact details are on its page.
For comparison only, not this program's price: the 12 Texas OTA programs that publish a cost range from $5,940 to $45,701, with a median of $11,003.
What occupational therapy assistants earn around Houston
The median yearly wage for occupational therapy assistants in the Houston metro area is $81,340. 2 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
Other OTA programs in the Houston area
Compare all 5 OTA programs in the Houston area
| Program | NBCOT COTA exam rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jacinto College, South AAS, Houston | 100% | Not reported | Not published |
| Pima Medical Institute, Houston AAS, Houston | 94.0% | Not reported | $45,701 |
| Houston Community College (this page) AAS, Houston | 86.0% | Not reported | Not published |
| Lone Star College, Tomball AAS, Tomball | 86.0% | Not reported | $9,611 |
| Lone Star College, Kingwood AAS, Kingwood | 84.0% | Not reported | $11,635 |
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.4 | $540 |
| Apply to the Texas OT Board for an OTA license by exam.5 | $100 |
| Pass the 20-question open-book online jurisprudence exam.6 | Free |
| Have NBCOT send the passing score to the Board, send a photo, and complete fingerprinting after applying (SSN required from Sept 1, 2026).7 | Not published |
| Optional: request a temporary license if taking the NBCOT exam for the first time.8 | $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
Program facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- 2 years full time or 3 years part time
- Schedule
- In person and hybrid
- Starts
- Fall (Fall 2027 applications Nov 2, 2026 to March 16, 2027)
- Before you apply
- BIOL 2301/2101 A&P I with lab, PSYC 2301 and OTHA 1301; HPRS 1201 only for students with under 12 college credits.
- Entrance exam
- HSRT-AD (HESI critical thinking may be accepted)
- Accreditation
- ACOTE, Accredited (ACOTE)
- Leads to
- NBCOT COTA certification exam and a Texas license
Sources and dates
- Houston Community College program outcomes page, NBCOT School Performance Data, checked Nov. 5, 2026; graduation rate from the program's page (Academic years 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