How much do Occupational Therapy Assistants make in Columbia, MO?

Percentile spread

For Occupational Therapy Assistants, the published 10th percentile is $55,560 and the 90th percentile is $73,060. The difference is $17,500, which is 27.9% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $60,730 to the 75th at $72,280, covers $11,550.

The mean annual wage is $64,900, which sits above the median of $62,810. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Columbia, MO median is 13.1% lower than the national median of $72,300 for Occupational Therapy Assistants. In 2024 national prices the local median is $70,227, which is 2.9% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 4.9% lower than the Missouri median of $66,070.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Columbia, MO is 89.438, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $62,810 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Occupational Therapy Assistants at $70,227 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

7 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Occupational Therapy Assistants. Columbia, MO ranks 5th of 8 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Kansas City, MO-KS is 100 miles away, with a median of $71,050 and employment of 400. That median is 13.1% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $76,775, against $70,227 here.
• Springfield, MO is 117 miles away, with a median of $61,360 and employment of 120. That median is 2.3% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $69,267, against $70,227 here.
• St. Louis, MO-IL is 122 miles away, with a median of $67,450 and employment of 780. That median is 7.4% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $70,934, against $70,227 here.

Employment share

Occupational Therapy Assistants accounts for 0.07% of wage-and-salary employment in Columbia, MO (80 of 107,680). Nationally the occupation is 0.03% of employment (51,290 of 155,495,730). The local share is 2.25 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.