Healthcare Support · SOC 31-2022
PT aides handle physical setup, equipment cleaning, and direct patient support — tasks that are inherently hands-on and location-specific.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: Scheduling AI will take over appointment management within a few years, but the physical aide tasks are durable; the bigger career risk is wage stagnation, not displacement.
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$39,530 median pay
$37,370 median pay
$41,590 median pay
$46,490 median pay
$37,320 median pay
$46,050 median pay
AI job-risk card
Physical Therapist Aides is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Physical Therapist Aides is 18/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
18 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Observing patients and reporting data to PT, Scheduling patient appointments and coordinating calendars. Harder to automate: Disinfecting equipment and organizing work areas, Physically guiding patients through exercises under direction, Administering therapeutic treatments with supervision, Transporting patients to treatment areas.
Lean into Infection control and equipment sanitation, Patient transport and transfer techniques, Basic therapeutic modality assistance, Electronic scheduling tools. Consider roles such as Physical therapist assistant or Exercise physiologist or Fitness and wellness coach.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.