Is Occupational Therapist a good career in 2026?
C
54/100 · Moderate
Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
$99K
Median pay
+60%
vs US average
14%/yr
Demand growth
85/100
Future-proof
Reasons it's worth it
- ✓Pays 60% above the US average wage ($99K vs $62K).
- ✓Relatively automation-resilient (85/100 future-proof).
- ✓In-demand skills: Activity Analysis, Assistive Technology, Patient Assessment, Treatment Planning.
Things to weigh
- !Competition can be high for the best-paid positions — keep skills current.
Dig into the numbers
Common questions
Is Occupational Therapist a good career in 2026?
On our data, Occupational Therapist scores 54/100 (Moderate). Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power. Median pay is $99K (60% above the US average), demand is ~14%/yr, and automation risk is 15/100.
Does Occupational Therapist pay well?
The median Occupational Therapist earns about $99K, which is 60% above the US average wage of $62K.
Will Occupational Therapist be automated by AI?
Automation risk is 15/100 (85/100 future-proof). Most of the role is hard to fully automate near-term.
Career score blends demand growth and automation risk; pay from BLS-anchored medians. A guide, not a guarantee.