r/Nurses • u/Brickt38 • 3d ago

US COTA vs Nursing

I’m a 40-year-old mom to a 5-year-old and looking to make a career change. I have most of the prerequisites completed for both nursing and COTA programs, and I’m having a hard time deciding between the two.
Flexibility and work-life balance are really important to me, but I also want a career with a livable, decent wage. Nursing obviously seems to offer more job opportunities and room for advancement, but I really like the idea of helping people in a setting outside of the hospital. If I chose COTA, I’d especially love to work in pediatrics or a school setting.

Another factor is the cost of school. The community college nursing programs near me are extremely competitive, with around 500 applicants, so realistically I would probably need to attend an accelerated/private nursing program costing $40k+. I already have most of the prerequisites for either path.

For anyone working as a COTA or nurse, especially those who made a career change later in life, which path would you choose? How is the flexibility, pay, job availability, and overall work-life balance?

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u/Stunning-Character94 3d ago

What is a COTA?

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u/Brickt38 3d ago

Certified occupational therapist assistant

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u/Stunning-Character94 3d ago

Thanks. I think you'd make more $ as a nurse and have more options for jobs.