Occupational therapy aides
Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.
BLS SOC 31-2012 · O*NET-SOC 31-2012.00 · BLS 2025–2035 · O*NET 31.0
Median annual wage, 2025
$39,160
Projected change, 2025–2035
3.6%
2025–2035 annual average openings
600
AI exposure
Moderate
Editorial analysis
Automation can organize the therapy day, not replace the helping hands
Occupational therapy aides support treatment environments through preparation, cleanup, transportation, equipment handling, clerical tasks, and assistance with the flow of therapy. AI is most likely to affect the administrative portions of this work.
A smaller paperwork burden could change the daily mix
Scheduling systems, automated reminders, documentation tools, inventory tracking, and AI-assisted preparation could reduce some routine office work. That may leave aides concentrating more heavily on maintaining treatment spaces, preparing equipment, and supporting patients and therapists.
- Scheduling and clerical work can become more automated.
- Equipment and supply tracking may become smarter.
- Therapy technologies may require aides to become comfortable with sensors, digital tools, and adaptive devices.
- Physical assistance and maintaining a safe treatment environment remain difficult to automate.
Labor-market picture
Two measures, different questions
These measures offer two different ways to understand the occupation: BLS projections show how national employment may change over time, while relative AI exposure highlights where tasks may intersect with AI-related capabilities. Read them with the work profile and your local context to decide what deserves closer investigation.
Employment
- Employment, 2025
- 4,400 jobs
- Projected employment, 2035
- 4,600 jobs
- Projected change, 2025–2035
- 200 jobs (3.6%)
Relative AI exposure
BLS category: Moderate. This is a relative task-exposure classification, not a forecast of employment change, automation, wages, or worker replacement.
Relative AI exposure · Moderate
Work profile
Representative tasks
These task statements come from O*NET 31.0. They are source facts, not labels assigned by the AI exposure measure.
- Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
- Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
- Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
- Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
- Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment, and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.
Skills that matter
Skills in the source profile
Importance uses O*NET's 1–5 scale. Level uses its 0–7 scale. Select a skill to see its source definition and reported values.
Technology and tools
These technology records come from O*NET and show software or tools reported in the occupation profile. They describe work context, not a required checklist for every employer.
- Billing and invoicing software
- Medical software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
Preparation
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Ask JobShift
Ask Dr. Morgan Reed about this evidence
Morgan is the JobShift Atlas analyst powered by AI. Answers draw from the evidence on this page and explain what it can tell you.
Prepare for a direction
Turn occupation research into a next action
Next action
Prepare your resume for this direction
Opens a partner resource for your next step on resumekicker.com. Your JobShift search and selections are not shared with external sites.
Next action
Practice for the target role
Opens a partner resource for your next step on interviewkicker.com. Your JobShift search and selections are not shared with external sites.
Next action
Explore independent work as one option
Opens a partner resource for your next step on www.ideatomarketai.com. Your JobShift search and selections are not shared with external sites.
Source provenance
Labor-market and exposure facts: bls-ep-2025-35. Work profile: onet-31.0. Verify release details on the Sources page.