How to become an occupational therapy assistant in Texas
Occupational therapy assistants help people relearn everyday tasks after injury, illness or disability, under an occupational therapist. Texas programs are mostly two-year associate degrees and lead to the NBCOT COTA exam and a Texas license.
Step 1: Finish an accredited program
Texas has 17 accredited OTA programs: 17 associate degrees. The median program runs about 24 months. Of the 12 that publish a total cost, prices run from $5,940 (Dallas College, Mountain View) to $45,701 (Pima Medical Institute, Houston). 2
Highest reported NBCOT COTA exam rates among larger programs: Austin Community College, Eastview (100%), Navarro College (100%) and San Jacinto College, South (100%).
Compare every Texas OTA program, or by area: Houston, Dallas, Tyler-Longview.
Step 2: Pass the NBCOT COTA exam
The median Texas program reports a 92.0% rate (17 programs reporting), but results range from 50.0% to 100%. New graduates who passed the NBCOT COTA certification exam, divided by new graduates who took it, as NBCOT or the program reports it.
Step 3: Get credentialed
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.3 | $540 |
| Apply to the Texas OT Board for an OTA license by exam.4 | $100 |
| Pass the 20-question open-book online jurisprudence exam.5 | Free |
| Have NBCOT send the passing score to the Board, send a photo, and complete fingerprinting after applying (SSN required from Sept 1, 2026).6 | Not published |
| Optional: request a temporary license if taking the NBCOT exam for the first time.7 | $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).
What occupational therapy assistants earn in Texas
The Texas median is $81,500 a year. 1 Pay is highest around Beaumont-Port Arthur ($82,610), Austin ($81,500), Houston ($81,340) and lowest around Rio Grande Valley ($73,720) and Laredo ($64,090). At the median program cost, setting aside 10% of the Texas median wage pays the program back in about 1.4 years.
Sources and dates
- 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