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OTA programs in Wisconsin

4 OTA (occupational therapy assistant) programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

4 schools offer these occupational therapy assistant programs, and Wisconsin has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Occupational therapy assistants help occupational therapists treat clients, guiding them through exercises and teaching new ways to manage everyday tasks such as dressing and bathing. Most need an associate degree from an accredited OTA program and usually a state license, which takes the program, fieldwork and a passed exam; passing it also earns the title Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).1

In Wisconsin, all 4 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent.

By kind, the 4 programs here are OTA (associate degree, 3 programs) and OTA program (level not stated, 1 program).

See the 4 programs

How much do OTA programs cost in Wisconsin?

$9,152 to $11,006

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Wisconsin may also offer OTA programs. How these figures are made

Are there free OTA programs in Wisconsin?

All 4 OTA programs in Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding

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4 programs

  • OTA program (level not stated)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Occupational Therapy Assistant

    Madison Area Technical College

    Madison

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Madison Area Technical College, MadisonOTA program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$29,900
    Price if you pay yourself$11,006

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Madison Area Technical College
    More details about Occupational Therapy Assistant at Madison Area Technical College
    Finished
    42%
    Working at 6 months
    78%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,486
    Length
    64 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    353
    Earned a year, estimated
    $29,900
    Price if you pay yourself
    $11,006
    students trained with WIOA funding
    3
    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Madison Area Technical College
  • OTA (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Occupational Therapy Assistant

    Milwaukee Area Technical College

    Milwaukee

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Milwaukee Area Technical College, MilwaukeeOTA (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$30,100
    Price if you pay yourself$9,152
    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Milwaukee Area Technical College
    More details about Occupational Therapy Assistant at Milwaukee Area Technical College
    Finished
    27%
    Working at 6 months
    75%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,514
    Length
    64 weeks, 19 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $5,010
    Students counted
    300
    Earned a year, estimated
    $30,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $9,152
    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Milwaukee Area Technical College
  • OTA (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Occupational Therapy Assistant

    Western Technical College

    La Crosse

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Western Technical College, La CrosseOTA (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$22,200
    Price if you pay yourself$10,670
    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Western Technical College
    More details about Occupational Therapy Assistant at Western Technical College
    Finished
    36%
    Working at 6 months
    62%
    Earned in a quarter
    $5,552
    Length
    75 weeks, 24 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    135
    Earned a year, estimated
    $22,200
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,670
    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Western Technical College
  • OTA (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Occupational Therapy Assistant

    Northwood Technical College

    Rice Lake

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Northwood Technical College, Rice LakeOTA (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$10,612
    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Northwood Technical College
    More details about Occupational Therapy Assistant at Northwood Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    64 weeks, 42 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,612
    Program website, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Northwood Technical College

How to pay for OTA programs in Wisconsin

WIOA funding can pay for OTA programs in Wisconsin

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for OTA programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67

GI Bill for OTA programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

OTA programs in Madison, Milwaukee, La Crosse and other Wisconsin cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Wisconsin

How OTA programs compare with the rest of allied health: Allied health programs in Wisconsin

Where the Wisconsin occupational therapy assistant program numbers come from

Which Wisconsin occupational therapy assistant programs are on this list?

These are the occupational therapy assistant programs Wisconsin approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Wisconsin offers.

How the prices and results of Wisconsin occupational therapy assistant programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about OTA programs in Wisconsin

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List