Headline risk
0%
Very Low RiskPhysical 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, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 4% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 101,020
Employment 2024
267.2K
Projected Change (2024–34)
10.9%
Openings (2024–34)
13.2K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Plan, prepare, or carry out individually designed programs of physical treatment to maintain, improve, or restore physical functioning, alleviate pain, or prevent physical dysfunction in patients. AI use: 0%
- 2. Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis prior to intervention. AI use: 0%
- 3. Record prognosis, treatment, response, and progress in patient's chart or enter information into computer. AI use: 0%
- 4. Confer with the patient, medical practitioners, or appropriate others to plan, implement, or assess the intervention program. AI use: 0%
- 5. Evaluate effects of treatment at various stages and adjust treatments to achieve maximum benefit. AI use: 0%
- 6. Instruct patient and family in treatment procedures to be continued at home. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.9 · 338K employed
Under 25: 3% · 25–54: 80% · 55+: 17%
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
Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.
Physical therapists typically work in private offices and clinics, hospitals, patients’ homes, and nursing homes. They spend much of their time on their feet, actively working with patients.
Physical therapists entering the occupation need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. All states require physical therapists to be licensed.
The median annual wage for physical therapists was $101,020 in May 2024.
Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 11 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.