Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Occupational Therapy Aides actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 17.9% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Occupational Therapy Aides earning $43,480 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $43,480 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$3,233 | 7.4% |
| California State Income Tax | -$1,231 | 2.8% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,695 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$630 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$7,791 | 17.9% |
| Take-Home Pay | $35,688 | 82.1% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Occupational Therapy Aides in California.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $36,710 | -$6,100 | $30,609 | 16.6% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $39,140 | -$6,678 | $32,461 | 17.1% |
| Median (P50) | $43,480 | -$7,791 | $35,688 | 17.9% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $44,980 | -$8,176 | $36,803 | 18.2% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $68,550 | -$15,194 | $53,355 | 22.2% |
After federal income tax ($3,233), state tax ($1,231), and FICA ($3,326), a Occupational Therapy Aides in California takes home $35,688 per year — or $2,974 per month. The effective tax rate of 17.9% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Occupational Therapy Aides in California faces an effective total tax rate of only 17.9%, keeping 82.1% of every gross dollar. That leaves $35,688 net out of $43,480 gross — a favorable outcome compared to states with combined rates above 30%.
California uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Occupational Therapy Aides salary the state tax works out to $1,232 (2.8% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Occupational Therapy Aides salary is $3,234 (42%), but combined state ($1,232, 16%) + FICA ($3,326, 43%) make up the other 58% of the bill.
A Occupational Therapy Aides earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $36,920 — only $1,232 (3.5%) more than in California.
California ranks #7 of 27 states for Occupational Therapy Aides after-tax pay — comfortably in the upper half.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $35,688 net/year works out to $2,974/month or $1,373/bi-weekly for this Occupational Therapy Aides in California — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Occupational Therapy Aides keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #7 out of 27 states for Occupational Therapy Aides after-tax take-home pay.
A Occupational Therapy Aides in California earning a median salary of $43,480 will take home approximately $35,688 per year after federal income tax ($3,233), state income tax ($1,231), and FICA ($3,326). That is $2,974 per month or $1,372 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Occupational Therapy Aides in California is 17.9%, broken down as: federal income tax 7.4%, California state tax 2.8%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
California has a progressive (up to 13.3%). On a Occupational Therapy Aides's median salary of $43,480, the state income tax amounts to $1,231 per year, which is an effective state rate of 2.8%.
After all taxes, a Occupational Therapy Aides in California takes home approximately $2,974 per month, or about $17.16 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $43,480 for Occupational Therapy Aides in California, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), California state income tax (progressive (up to 13.3%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $35,688/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR