2026 Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools in New Jersey
[Occupational Therapist Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-medical-assisting-services/occupational-therapist-assistant/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for occupational therapist assistant students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools in New Jersey
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in occupational therapist assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools
Hudson County Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value occupational therapist assistant schools in New Jersey. Set in the city of Jersey City, Hudson County Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,384, while out-of-state students pay about $9,248. Students borrow a median of $10,671 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $35,909. Set against $10,671 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in occupational therapist assistant will find it at Raritan Valley Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the rural area of Branchburg, Raritan Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,664, with out-of-state students paying around $7,584. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $9,668 in student loans. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $47,248. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rutgers University New Brunswick earned it the #3 place for occupational therapist assistant. Set in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,929 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $37,441. Students borrow a median of $18,250 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Soon after graduation, occupational therapist assistant degree recipients from Rutgers University New Brunswick generally make around $50,530. Set against $18,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Eastwick College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in occupational therapist assistant, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Ramsey, Eastwick College is a small private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,057. Students borrow a median of $16,702 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates of Eastwick College earn a median of $35,514 early in their careers. Set against $16,702 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
More Occupational Therapist Assistant Rankings
View All Occupational Therapist Assistant Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
