South Texas College OTA program costs $15,956. Here is how its graduates do.
An AAS program in McAllen, Two years (average 21 months). 100% of its graduates passed the NBCOT COTA exam in 2025.
The short version
- Its NBCOT COTA exam rate (100%) is above the Texas program median of 92.0%.
- 91.0% 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 2.2 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 | 100% |
| 2024 | 100% |
| 2023 | 100% |
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
Three of every four dollars goes to tuition and fees (including prerequisites). Tuition includes $3,341 for prerequisite courses. NBCOT exam and license fees not included. Subject to change.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees (including prerequisites) | $13,140 |
| Insurance | $30 |
| Books and supplies | $1,880 |
| Complio | $182 |
| Uniforms | $355 |
| Caduceus preparation course | $99 |
| NBCOT practice exams (2) | $60 |
| Test preparation workshop | $210 |
| Total 1 | $15,956 |
Not included: living costs. OTA Program Tuition and Fees, in-district, 2025-2026 figures with 3% annual increase.
What occupational therapy assistants earn around Rio Grande Valley
The median yearly wage for occupational therapy assistants in the Rio Grande Valley metro area is $73,720. 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 South Texas College's published cost, the total to finish school and get credentialed is about $16,596, before prerequisites and living costs.
Program facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- Two years (average 21 months)
- Schedule
- Full time, mostly in person; some hybrid or online courses
- Before you apply
- Humanities elective, PSYC 2314, BIOL 2401, SPCH 1318, ENGL 1301 and OTHA 1305, each with a B or better and a 3.0 GPA.
- Entrance exam
- HESI A2, 75% minimum on English, A&P, Math and Composite
- Accreditation
- ACOTE, Accredited (ACOTE), 10-year reaccreditation granted Feb 2024, next on-site 2033/2034
- Leads to
- NBCOT COTA certification exam and a Texas license
Sources and dates
- South Texas College OTA program page, OTA Program Tuition and Fees, in-district, 2025-2026 figures with 3% annual increase.
- South Texas College program outcomes page, NBCOT School Performance Data, checked Nov. 5, 2026; graduation rate from the program's page (2023 to 2025 (exam); 2024 to 2026 (graduation)).
- 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