Headline risk
0%
Very Low RiskOccupational therapists
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.
Task evidence
97% weighted task match · 2% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 98,340
Employment 2024
160.0K
Projected Change (2024–34)
13.8%
Openings (2024–34)
10.2K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients. AI use: 0%
- 2. Complete and maintain necessary records. AI use: 0%
- 3. Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
- 4. Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress. AI use: 0%
- 5. Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities. AI use: 0%
- 6. Train caregivers in providing for the needs of a patient during and after therapy. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.9 · 138K employed
Under 25: 1% · 25–54: 78% · 55+: 20%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
crosswalk_exact · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them with vocational, daily living, and other skills that promote independence.
Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, schools, and outpatient clinics. They stand for long periods and may need to lift or move clients.
To enter the occupation, occupational therapists typically need a master’s degree in occupational therapy. All states require occupational therapists to be licensed.
The median annual wage for occupational therapists was $98,340 in May 2024.
Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.