Ranking report card
What this ranking covers
Ranking table
Top public OTA programs
Official data is kept separate from The OT Index scoring and interpretation so readers can see what is measured and what is judgment.
| Rank | Option | Score | Outcome signal | Program context | Best for | Watch out for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhodes State College | 99.5 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 100.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Lima, OH | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 2 | Central Piedmont Community College | 98.8 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 100.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Charlotte, NC | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 3 | Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley | 98.8 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 100.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Kansas City, MO | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 4 | Grand Rapids Community College | 98.3 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 99.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Grand Rapids, MI | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 5 | Austin Community College | 98.0 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 100.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Austin, TX | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 6 | Spokane Falls Community College | 98.0 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 100.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Spokane, WA | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 7 | South Texas College | 97.6 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 98.4% five-year average | OTA Associate; McAllen, TX | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 8 | Salt Lake Community College | 97.3 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 98.2% five-year average | OTA Associate; West Jordan, UT | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 9 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College | 96.9 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 98.4% five-year average | OTA Associate; Cincinnati, OH | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 10 | Anoka Technical College | 96.8 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 97.6% five-year average | OTA Associate; Anoka, MN | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 11 | Community College of Allegheny County/Boyce Campus | 96.8 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 96.2% five-year average | OTA Associate; Monroeville, PA | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 12 | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | 96.6 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 96.2% five-year average | OTA Associate; Salisbury, NC | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 13 | Cape Fear Community College | 96.5 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 96.8% five-year average | OTA Associate; Wilmington, NC | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 14 | Tyler Junior College | 96.4 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 97.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Tyler, TX | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 15 | Linn-Benton Community College-Healthcare Occupations Center | 96.2 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 97.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Lebanon, OR | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 16 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 96.2 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 96.6% five-year average | OTA Baccalaureate; Monroe, LA | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 17 | Ozarks Technical Community College | 96.2 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 96.4% five-year average | OTA Associate; Springfield, MO | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 18 | Southwestern Community College-Jackson/Sylva Campus | 95.9 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 97.6% five-year average | OTA Associate; Sylva, NC | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 19 | Navarro College-Midlothian Campus | 95.9 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 97.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Midlothian, TX | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 20 | Wor-Wic Community College | 95.8 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 96.2% five-year average | OTA Associate; Salisbury, MD | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 21 | Durham Technical Community College | 95.3 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 99.2% five-year average | OTA Associate; Durham, NC | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 22 | Sinclair Community College | 95.3 | 94% NBCOT in 2025; 98.8% five-year average | OTA Associate; Dayton, OH | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 23 | Mott Community College | 95.1 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 99.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Fenton, MI | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 24 | Bossier Parish Community College | 95.1 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 97.0% five-year average | OTA Associate; Bossier City, LA | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. | |
| 25 | Fox Valley Technical College | 94.4 | 100% NBCOT in 2025; 95.8% five-year average | OTA Associate; Appleton, WI | Students prioritizing public OTA pathways while still screening for board-exam outcomes and accreditation context. | Institution type is listed as public in the ACOTE-backed profile. Confirm current tuition, fees, residency rules, and program-specific costs before applying. |
Decision guide
How to use this ranking
Use this ranking when public OTA programs are your likely affordability anchor.
Use it this way
- Use the ranking to find public programs with stronger matched NBCOT and accreditation signals.
- Verify actual tuition by residency, district, fees, supplies, and fieldwork travel before assuming the public option is cheapest.
- Compare public options with nearby private programs if commute, schedule, or fieldwork placement quality changes the real cost.
Ask before choosing
- Do I qualify for the lower public tuition rate?
- How much would fees, supplies, lost work time, and fieldwork travel add?
- Is the public program strong enough on outcomes, support, and schedule fit?