Salary · Metro area · SOC 31-2011

Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025 for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metropolitan statistical area.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for occupational therapy assistants in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY was $51,140 a year, or $24.59 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $41,920 to $67,760. About 200 were employed.

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Annual pay: Buffalo vs New York vs the US

Occupational Therapy Assistant annual wages, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, New York, and US
MeasureThis metroNew YorkUS
Median (50th percentile)$51,140$68,530$72,300
Mean (average)$56,080$67,620$70,710
10th percentile$41,920$49,050$51,490
25th percentile$50,270$57,250$61,710
75th percentile$62,000$77,730$79,160
90th percentile$67,760$83,200$89,780
Occupational Therapy Assistant hourly wages, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
MeasureHourly
Median (50th percentile)$24.59
Mean (average)$26.96
10th percentile$20.15
25th percentile$24.17
75th percentile$29.81
90th percentile$32.58

Employment: 200. 0.369 per 1,000 jobs in the area. Location quotient 1.12.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Questions

How much does a COTA make per hour in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

The median hourly wage was $24.59 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $20.15 and the 90th was $32.58.

What is the average COTA salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $56,080 a year and a median of $51,140 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do occupational therapy assistants in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY earn more than the New York median?

The Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY median of $51,140 is 25% lower than the New York median of $68,530 (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 31-2011. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.

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