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Specialized Education Services
Sacramento, California

Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)

Occupational Therapy AssistantFull-Time

Listed compensation

$24-$36/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 44m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), a division of FullBloom, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation/gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

The Occupational Therapist Assistant will be responsible for providing social-emotional services for students who require additional support to thrive in school. They will deliver high-quality services as provided by SESI, and collaborate with both school personnel and families to provide services to students. Every child deserves to reach their full potential and we’re looking to hire an exceptional Therapist who will play an essential role in fueling student success.

Are you looking for a new opportunity to make an impact in the lives of students? Join us at SESI Schools, where we are proving what is possible for students with unique needs. We offer

  • Competitive salary range $24-$36/hour candidates with experience should expect to come in at the mid-range.
  • Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and 401K matching
  • Tuition reimbursement of up to $2,625
  • Continued training, mentorship, and opportunities for growth

Responsibilities

Assess each new student and evaluate OT needs

Monitor therapy programs and consult with educational staff regarding the inclusion of appropriate occupational therapy treatment strategies into the educational program.

Educate and demonstrate (verbally or written) therapy techniques to teachers and parents that can be incorporated into the classroom/home.

  • Consult on IEPs and provided required documentation of students’ needs and supports.
  • Monitor and manage the handwriting and keyboarding curriculum and train staff/parents in any applicable techniques.
  • Provide group therapy interventions for K-8th grade classes.
  • Assess and evaluate all students’ needs for individual or small group OT sessions.
  • Attend parent/teacher meetings for students’ receiving OT as needed.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree

COTA license

Posted Salary Range

USD $24.00 - USD $36.00 /Hr.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Student assessmentIEP consultationHandwriting curriculumCollaboration

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In California, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$117k (730 salary observations; 2,234 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,387 salary observations; 28,936 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$62k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $56k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Occupational Therapy market look like in California?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$50k–$75kOccupational Therapy median $92k (middle half $81k–$106k)60 comparable listings, Nov 2026
California vs national$117k median in California$97k nationally (+21%)730 state / 5,387 national salary observations
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$56k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapy listings in California899 active9,026 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia Occupational Therapist listings: 15% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 6% offer loan repayment958 active listings, Nov 2026
New Occupational Therapy listings3,199 in the last 30 days1,714 the 30 days before (+87%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Occupational Therapy pay trend+4.4% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top OTA Jobs

9 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

7 jobs
2
<$75k
0
$75k-90k
2
$104k
3
$105k-120k

Annual compensation range

Work-Life Balance Distribution

9 jobs · 7 employers
0
1-2
0
3-4
1
5-6
8
7-8
0
9-10

Higher = better work-life balance

#1

Cert Occupational Therapist Assistant, COTA

Harvest Crossing POST Acute · Manteca, California

$48-$55/hr
#2

Cert Occupational Therapist Assistant, COTA

Kalesta Healthcare Group · Manteca, California

$48-$55/hr
#3

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)

$48-$53/hr
#4

Cert Occupational Therapist Assistant, COTA

$40-$50/hr
+ 7 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Occupational Therapy Assistant listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,043 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Specialized Education Services logo

About Specialized Education Services

Education Administration Programs
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, Vision
401K matching
Tuition reimbursement up to $2,625
Continued training and mentorship

Living in Sacramento

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$452k
Typical market rent
$2,045/mo
Residents’ average commute
25 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
106.7
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.