Occupational Therapy Aides vs Orderlies: Similar Median Pay, Different Work

Occupational Therapy Aides vs Orderlies: what changes?

Consider Occupational Therapy Aides if you want to under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. Consider Orderlies if you would rather transport patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Occupational Therapy Aides and Orderlies. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Occupational Therapy Aides

National median pay (2025): $39,160
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 600

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (4,400 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Occupational Therapy Aides brief

Orderlies

National median pay (2025): $38,290
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 7,200

Know before you choose

Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.

See the full Orderlies brief

How the national numbers differ

Orderlies has the edge on annual openings

Orderlies is at 7,200 annual openings, compared with 600 annual openings for Occupational Therapy Aides.

Typical preparation differs.

Occupational Therapy Aides: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Orderlies: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

Orderlies has the edge on projected growth

Orderlies is at 4% projected growth, compared with 3.6% projected growth for Occupational Therapy Aides.

Occupational Therapy Aides has the edge on median pay

Occupational Therapy Aides is at $39,160, compared with $38,290 for Orderlies.

28/ 100

Occupational Therapy Aides

48.3/ 100

Orderlies

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Occupational Therapy Aides vs Orderlies

Dimension	Occupational Therapy Aides	Orderlies
Median pay (2025)	$39,160	$38,290
Pay percentile	10.2 percentile	9.1 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	3.6%	4%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	600	7,200
2025 employment	4,400	52,800
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 3	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Occupational Therapy Aides brief Read Orderlies brief

Occupational Therapy Aides vs Orderlies: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Occupational Therapy Aides

Orderlies

How the national numbers differ

Orderlies has the edge on annual openings

Typical preparation differs.

Orderlies has the edge on projected growth

Occupational Therapy Aides has the edge on median pay

Occupational Therapy Aides vs Orderlies

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