Grows with AI

Occupational therapists

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.

AI Resistance Index 84 of 99

Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 84% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by +14.8% by 2035, much faster than average. The work leans on emotional intelligence and creative vision.

AI can help with many of the tasks, and demand is still growing. Being fluent with AI is the edge here.

Median pay (2025): $100,330
Job growth to 2035: +14.8%
Openings a year: 10,000
People doing it (2025): 170,000
Usual route in: Master's degree

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Where people already use AI for this work

Advise others on products or services
Analyze health or medical data
Advise patients or clients on medical issues

From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).

Work AI rarely helps with

Train others on health or medical topics
Develop patient or client care or treatment plans
Train others to use equipment or products

What the work looks like

Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
Complete and maintain necessary records.
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.
Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.

From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.

What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects

More of these jobs, as growing special education needs in public schools raise demand for occupational therapy services.
More of these jobs, as growing demand for inpatient rehabilitation services increases demand for occupational therapists.

Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook

Therapists, all otherGrows with AI, Index 86, +12.6%
Coaches and scoutsHuman edge, growing, Index 94, +6.1%
Recreational therapistsHuman edge, growing, Index 90, +4.8%
Orthotists and prosthetistsHuman edge, growing, Index 96, +12.9%

Also known as: Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), Occupational Therapist (OT), Pediatric Occupational Therapist (Pediatric OT), Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR), Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS), Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O and M Specialist), Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT), Visually Impaired Teacher (TVI).

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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.