Independence is so important. Helping others maintain or regain theirs is what you – and this degree – are all about.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
95%
Student Satisfaction
95% of our recent graduates report they are satisfied with their Madison College education.
$50k
Annual Salary
Our recent graduates of this program reported an average starting salary of $50,472.
57
Graduates from 2020 - 2022
With a 3 year average graduation rate of 77%

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Occupational Therapy Assistant
Program Number: 105141
Your Degree:
Associate Degree
Area of Study:
Health Sciences
Delivery Method:
Some Online/Some In Person
Estimated Time to Complete:
67 Credits | Finish degree in 2 years
financial aid icon Financial Aid Available
transfer icon Program Transfers
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What You'll Pay
Use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your tuition costs.

Estimated Program Cost

$11,136.72

Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid and scholarships help you pay for your education.
  • Program Overview

    Occupational therapy assistants (OTA) work with individuals across the lifespan, whose ability to participate in everyday activities is complicated by developmental disability, physical and/or emotional illness, injury or aging.

    The Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Madison College will train you to work with occupational therapists in helping individuals improve functionality, quality of life and independence.

    Please note that after acceptance to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, you will be required to complete a background check and provide documentation of current required immunizations and current Healthcare Provider CPR certification. Further information about these requirements will be shared at program orientation.

    Madison College students report 100 percent satisfaction with our two-year Occupational Therapy Assistant degree program.

    • "The OTA classes are very relevant and instructors are very experienced."
    • "We get practical information and see the full scope of OT."
    • "This program is flexible, practical, and gets you where you want to go."
    • "We see OT in practice in a wide variety of settings from pediatric to geriatric."
    • "The Health Education Center at the Truax campus is beautiful and state-of- the-art."

    Program Details

    Wisconsin law requires background checks for persons who provide care for others or have access to people who receive care. This law applies to students in many School of Health Sciences programs. Please review the Caregiver Background Check information on the School of Health Sciences Forms and Policies. A felony conviction may impact a graduate's eligibility for certification and credentialing. 

    Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program can attend full or part time.

    Courses are scheduled on weekdays.

    Hybrid courses include weekly in-person instruction and asynchronous online work. 

    In-Person Occupational Therapy Assistant instruction is offered at the Madison College Truax campus.

    Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Handbook.

    Your Advantages at Madison College

    • Study in our state-of-the-art Health Education Center, including a simulated patient home where students practice teaching everyday skills.
    • Learn with top faculty for personalized attention and real-world learning.
    • Benefit from a series of on-site clinical practicums at local health facilities.
    • Spend less than $13,000 for total tuition and program costs for your Madison College degree.

    OTA Careers

    Occupational therapy assistants are employed in community settings providing mental health, residential care and home health, and work-related services as well as in nursing homes, hospitals, and schools.

    Earning your associate degree in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Madison Area Technical College prepares you for a range ofprofessional positions in the field of occupational therapy, including:

    • Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
    • Adult day care coordinator
    • Activities coordinator
    • Community support worker
    • Life skills trainer
    • Durable medical equipment coordinator
    • Job coach
    • Family support worker
    • Supported employment specialist

    With additional education and/or work experience, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program graduates may find employment as:

    • Assisted living program coordinator/ manager
    • Case manager
    • Community-based residential facility manager
    • Assistive technology provider

    Graduation Rates

    This table outlines the number of students who started the program and how many of them ultimately graduated. 

    Graduation Year# of Students Started vs GraduatedGraduation Rate
    202123/1983%
    202227/2281%
    202320/1680%
    Total70/5781%

    The total number of graduates from Madison College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program during the 3-year period 2020-2022 was 57 with an overall graduation rate of 77%. 

    The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) provides program data results.

    Occupational Therapy Assistant Accreditation
    The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.

     

     

  • Curriculum and Experience

    Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2024-2025 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.

    Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:

    • Progress toward your specific requirements
    • Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements

    If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.

    Pre-Occupational Therapy Assistant Courses
    The following course must be completed prior to acceptance into Occupational Therapy courses:
    10-806-177
    4 credits
    10-801-195
    3 credits
    10-809-198
    3 credits
    First Semester
    Second Semester
    10-514-174
    4 credits
    10-514-175
    3 credits
    10-514-176
    3 credits
    10-514-178
    3 credits
    10-809-159
    3 credits
    10-801-198
    3 credits
    Summer Semester
    10-809-188
    3 credits
    10-809-172
    3 credits
    Third Semester
    10-514-179
    2 credits
    10-514-189
    4 credits
    10-514-190
    4 credits
    10-514-184
    2 credits
    Fourth Semester
    10-514-185
    2 credits
    10-514-186
    5 credits
    10-514-187
    5 credits
  • Admission

    To Apply

    Students need to complete the petition process to get into core-program classes for this program. Before submitting an application, it’s important to review the Petition Process webpage which also includes estimated wait times for each program.

    • View the admission requirements for application deadlines, materials, and requirements
       
    • There is no current estimated wait time between acceptance into pre-program and the start of core classes. The estimated time to enter the core-program is subject to change based on the variable number of students ready to petition each semester.
       
    • Learn more about the Madison College experience and get help with the admissions process

    After Acceptance

    Once you have been accepted in a pre-program status, your next step is to complete the Petition Requirements. See the Petition information in the next section.    

    Additional Notes

    Students are required to meet the current admission and petition requirements. Requirements are subject to change based on updates to accreditation requirements or Madison College program assessment data.

    Questions?

    Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.

    apply for admission

    Get Started!

    Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Occupational Therapy Assistant career.

    It's Free to Apply

  • Petition

    After Acceptance

    After you have been admitted into a pre-program status, complete all of the Petition Requirements for your program. Login to your student account and run a Degree Progress Report to review the Petition Requirements and see which requirements you have completed and which need to be satisfied.

    Requirements vary by program, and may include some or all of the following:

    • Petition Workshop: This is done online and can be found in Blackboard after you have been admitted in a pre-program status
    • Prerequisites (examples: Algebra, Geometry, Chemistry, Biology, English and Reading): This varies by program
    • Course Requirements (examples: Anatomy and Physiology, Intro to Psychology, etc.): This varies by program
    • Testing Requirement (examples: ACT, HESI, TEAS): This varies by program

    You can view the Petition Requirements for this program using the links below.

    Fall 2023 and Spring 2024  

    Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

    After completing the petition requirements, students are then selected for entry into core-program courses through the Petition Process.

    Questions?

    Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.

  • Transfer Opportunities

    UW System Schools

    The terms of the Leadership & Org Studies agreement are limited to students who complete an associates of applied science degree and are admitted to the Organizational Studies emphasis of the Leadership and Organizational Studies at UW O. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. The terms of the Human Services Leadership agreement are limited to students who have complete an associates of applied science degree and have been admitted to the Human Services Leadership degree at UW O. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.

    Wisconsin Private Schools

    Student who earn an Associate Degree from Madison College can transfer a minimum of 60 credits and a maximum of 72 credits to Lakeland College to be applied to the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree.
    Any Madison College student who has successfully completed an associate degree in applied science after 2015, and meets admission requirements for the Rader School of Business (RSOB) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) can earn a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Technical Sales at MSOE by successfully completing the AAS to BBA Technical Sales Transfer Track in the Business Administration program. --- In particular, any Madison College student who successfully completes all technical courses and general education courses in their AAS program with a grade of C or better (not C-) in each course; successfully completes all other specified courses, as defined in this transfer agreement, with a grade of C or better (not C-) in each course; and meets the MSOE admission requirements for transfer students into the BBA Program at MSOE, minimum 2.75/4.0 cumulative GPA from the last regionally accredited school will be admitted into the AAS to BBA Technical Sales Transfer Track in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at MSOE.

    Out-of-State Schools

    Students who complete any associate degree at Madison Area Technical College will have no additional general education core curriculum requirements to meet but must satisfy the Kirkpatrick Signature Series requirement. This applies to students who are pursuing a bachelors of arts, bachelors of science or bachelors of fine arts at Bellevue University.
    Students graduating with an associate degree from MATC with a 2.0 GPA or higher are guaranteed admissions into CSU-Global and can transfer up to 64 semester credits from MATC to be applied toward earning a Bachelor’s Degree at CSU-Global.
  • Career Outcomes

    After completing the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Madison Area Technical College, you will be able to:

    • Demonstrate professional behaviors, ethical standards, values and attitudes of the occupational therapy profession.
    • Practice within the distinct role and responsibility of the occupational therapy assistant.
    • Advocate for the profession, services and consumers.
    • Value lifelong learning and the need to keep current with best practices.
    • Apply occupational therapy principles and intervention tools to achieve expected outcomes
    • Serve a diverse population in a variety of systems that are consistent with entry-level practice.
    • Serve individuals across the life span whose ability to participate in everyday occupations is complicated by developmental disability, physical and/or emotional illness, injury or aging. Occupations are the activities of daily life that have value to individuals and help them be contributing members of their communities.
    • Use purposeful activities to improve the physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills needed to function.
    • Offer alternative approaches and adaptations to compensate when needed.
    • Promote the balance of self-care, work and leisure activities that results in the quality of life and level of independence valued by the individual.
    • Collaborate with occupational therapists.
    • Work in community settings providing mental health, residential care and home health and work-related services as well as in nursing homes, hospitals and schools.

    Accreditation/Credentialing

    The Madison Area Technical College associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is 301.652.6611 and its website is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

    ***Students must complete 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 18 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.

    The total number of graduates from the Madison Area Technical College Occupational Therapy Assistant program from 2020-2022 was 57, with an overall graduation rate of 77%.

    • Graduate Summary

      Graduate Report Summary Overview

      202020212022
      Number of Program Graduates151726
      Number of Surveys Sent111725
      Number of Surveys Returned81523
      Percent of Surveys Returned
      Available for Employment81522
      Percent Available for Employment100.00%100.00%95.70%
      Not in Labor Market
      Percent Not in Labor Market0.00%0.00%4.30%
      Available for Employment

      202020212022
      Graduates Employed61217
      Percent of Graduates Employed75.00%80.00%77.30%
      Employed in Related Occupation51013
      Percent Employed in Related Occupation83.30%83.30%76.50%
      Employed in Unrelated Occupation124
      Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation16.70%16.70%23.50%
      Employed - No Response000
      Percent Employed - No Response0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Seeking Employment235
      Percent Seeking Employment25.00%20.00%22.70%
      Reaction To Training at Madison College

      202020212022
      Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4)33.33.6
      Number of Satisfaction Responses81523
      Very Satisfied (4)4515
      Percent Very Satisfied50.00%33.30%65.20%
      Satisfied (3)297
      Percent Satisfied25.00%60.00%30.40%
      Unsatisfied (2)011
      Percent Unsatisfied0.00%6.70%4.30%
      Very Unsatisfed (1)200
      Percent Very Unsatisfied25.00%0.00%0.00%
      Primary Reason for Attending Madison College

      202020212022
      Number of Primary Reason Responses81523
      Preparation for Getting a Job4814
      Percent Preparation for Getting a Job50.00%53.30%60.90%
      Career Change368
      Percent Career Change37.50%40.00%34.80%
      Improvement of Existing Skills000
      Percent Improvement of Existing Skills0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Preparation for Further Education111
      Percent Preparation for Further Education12.50%6.70%4.30%
      Personal Interest000
      Percent Personal Interest0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Other000
      Percent Other0.00%0.00%0.00%
      When Employment was Obtained

      202020212022
      Number of When Employment Obtained Responses61217
      Before Enrollment103
      Percent Before Enrollment16.70%0.00%17.60%
      While Attending the College010
      Percent While Attending the College0.00%8.30%0.00%
      After Training at the College51114
      Percent After Training at the College83.30%91.70%82.40%
      Location of Employment (related and unrelated)

      202020212022
      Number of Employment Location Responses6914
      In College District4712
      Percent In College District66.70%77.80%85.70%
      In Wisconsin, Not in District000
      Percent of In Wisconsin0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Outside of Wisconsin222
      Percent Outside Wisconsin33.30%22.20%14.30%
      Employer Location Unknown000
      Percent Location Unknown0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Salary Trend
      Salary Trend202020212022
      Full Time Employment (Related Job)Full Time Salary Count479
      Average Monthly Wage$3,629$3,482$4,206
      Average Hourly Wage$21.10$20.24$24.45
      Average Work Hours per Week38.84140.6
      Part Time Employment (Related Job)Part Time Salary Count032
      Average Hourly Wage$21.67$27.00
      Average Work Hours per Week3026.327.7
    • Graduate Employers

      Graduate Employers for academic year: 2022
      Employer(s)Job TitleCity*State**Positions
      Central Wisconsin CenterTreatment Specialist 2
      CI Pediatric Therapy CentersCertified Occupational Therapy AssistantVerona
      Ellicot Center RehabilitationCertified Occupational Therapy AssistantBuffaloNY
      Fort Health & RehabilitationOccupational Therapy AssistantFort Atkinson
      Lancaster Community School DistrictCertified Occupational Therapy AssistantLancaster
      Mendota Mental Health InstituteCertified Occupational Therapy Assistant
      National Staffing/Heritage SquareCertified Occupational Therapy AssistantGreendale
      Oakwood VillageLife Enrichment Specialist
      Powerback rehabOccupational Therapy Assistant
      UW Health Care DirectAssistive Tech Professional (ATP)Middleton
      UW Health Care DirectComplex Rehab Equipment SpecialistMiddleton

      * - Only cities outside of Madison will display.

      ** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.

      *** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at jobpostings@madisoncollege.edu

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Contact the School of Health Sciences

Madison Truax Campus
Health Building, 103

1705 Hoffman Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53704

healthsciences@madisoncollege.edu
608.616.1250

Hours

  • Monday – Thursday: 8 am - 4 pm
  • Friday: 8 am - 12 pm (Help by phone or email)