by our College Data Analytics Team
[Occupational Therapist Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-medical-assisting-services/occupational-therapist-assistant/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong occupational therapist assistant education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for occupational therapist assistant students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the occupational therapist assistant degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in occupational therapist assistant, no school beat Anoka Technical College this year. Anoka Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Anoka. In-state tuition and fees average $6,267. Typical student debt for occupational therapist assistant graduates is $21,541. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $40,000. That is a strong return on a $21,541 median debt.
Northland Community And Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in occupational therapist assistant, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Thief River Falls, Northland Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,289. Typical student debt for occupational therapist assistant graduates is $23,750. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $42,509. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at St Catherine University earned it the #3 place for occupational therapist assistant. St Catherine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. In-state tuition and fees average $38,428. Students borrow a median of $30,500 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Soon after graduation, occupational therapist assistant degree recipients from St Catherine University generally make around $40,149. Set against $30,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. St Catherine University admits about 92% of applicants.
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.