Career Explorer Healthcare support
Human edge, growing
Physical therapist aides
Under close supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing the patient and the treatment area.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 87% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +4.0% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $35,240
- Job growth to 2035
- +4.0%
- Openings a year
- 6,400
- People doing it (2025)
- 49,000
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Provide support or encouragement to others
- Perform administrative or clerical activities
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas
- Train others on health or medical topics
- Prepare medical equipment or work areas for use
What the work looks like
- Clean and organize work area and disinfect equipment after treatment.
- Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.
- Instruct, motivate, safeguard, or assist patients practicing exercises or functional activities, under direction of medical staff.
- Confer with physical therapy staff or others to discuss and evaluate patient information for planning, modifying, or coordinating treatment.
- Observe patients during treatment to compile and evaluate data on patients' responses and progress and report to physical therapist.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as payer restrictions in the reimbursement of services provided by physical therapist aides dampens demand for the occupation.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Nursing assistantsHuman edge, steady, Index 88, +2.6%
- Ophthalmic medical techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +21.4%
- Dental assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +7.4%
- Medical assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 89, +12.9%
Also known as: Physical Therapist Aide (PTA), Physical Therapy Aide (PTA), PT Tech (Physical Therapy Technician), Rehabilitation Technician (Rehabilitation Tech), PT Attendant (Physical Therapy Attendant), PT Tech (Physical Therapist Technician), Rehabilitation Aide, Rehabilitation Attendant.
Is this career on your child's list?
Build a free Career Playbook matched to your child, or get a 90-day Action Plan with dated next steps, written for your child by name.
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.