Exercise Physiologists vs Physical Therapist Assistants AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Exercise Physiologists

59 shared · 27 different

core competencies

low risk

Physical Therapist Assistants

Side-by-Side Comparison

Physical Therapist Assistants leads 5–0

Metric	Exercise Physiologists	Physical Therapist Assistants
Risk Score	27.4%	22.5%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	26th	12th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	5 / 15	1 / 15
Median Salary	$58,160	$65,510
Employment	8K	108K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Biology

MathematicsAI-Vulnerable

Education and Training

Sales and Marketing

Coaching and Developing Others

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Written Expression

Performing Administrative Activities

Inductive Reasoning

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization

WritingAI-Augmented

Scheduling Work and Activities

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Exercise Physiologists

35%

total discount

Physical Therapist Assistants

34%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Exercise Physiologists

5 of 15 at risk

59%Measure amount of body fat, using such equipment as hydrostatic scale, skinfold calipers, or tape measures.

55%Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.

54%Prescribe individualized exercise programs, specifying equipment such as treadmill, exercise bicycle, ergometers, or perceptual goggles.

52%Interpret exercise program participant data to evaluate progress or identify needed program changes.

51%Plan or conduct exercise physiology research projects.

Physical Therapist Assistants

1 of 15 at risk

86%Document patient information, such as notes on their progress.

43%Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.

43%Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment.

42%Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.

39%Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.

Wage Comparison

Physical Therapist Assistants earns +$7,350(+13%) vs Exercise Physiologists

Exercise PhysiologistsPhysical Therapist Assistants

10th

$40,930$46,020

25th

$48,650$58,240

Median

$58,160$65,510

75th

$65,430$77,270

90th

$79,830$87,630

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Exercise Physiologists2028–2035

Physical Therapist Assistants2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Physical Therapist Assistants has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Exercise Physiologists.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Exercise Physiologists

$42,207

from $58,160

Physical Therapist Assistants

$50,757

from $65,510

After adjusting for AI risk, Physical Therapist Assistants offers $8,550 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Exercise

Unique to Physical

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity

Fine Manipulation

Decision Complexity

Social Intelligence

Exercise PhysiologistsPhysical Therapist Assistants

Find transitions from Exercise Physiologists Find transitions from Physical Therapist Assistants