2026 Best Value Occupational Therapy/Therapist Associate’s Degree Schools

[Occupational Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/rehab-and-therapeutic-professions/occupational-therapy-therapist/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong occupational therapy/therapist education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 260 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for occupational therapy/therapist students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Occupational Therapy/Therapist Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the occupational therapy/therapist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Occupational Therapy/Therapist Schools
The Community College Of Baltimore County tops our 2026 list of the best value occupational therapy/therapist schools in the United States. Set in the suburb of Baltimore, The Community College Of Baltimore County is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,110 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,182 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,038 to complete the occupational therapy/therapist program here. Early-career occupational therapy/therapist graduates make about $40,075. That is a strong return on a $18,038 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes Northwest Mississippi Community College one of the best values for occupational therapy/therapist. Located in the town of Senatobia, Northwest Mississippi Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $3,740 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $9,990 to complete the occupational therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, occupational therapy/therapist degree recipients from Northwest Mississippi Community College generally make around $35,001. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Thomas Jefferson University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in occupational therapy/therapist, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $47,355. Typical student debt for occupational therapy/therapist graduates is $35,437. Early-career occupational therapy/therapist graduates make about $46,768. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Other Occupational Therapy/Therapist Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Occupational Therapy/Therapist rankings across degree levels:
View All Occupational Therapy/Therapist Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 260 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.