Occupational Therapy Aides vs Childcare Workers AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Occupational Therapy Aides

48 shared · 19 different

core competencies

low risk

Childcare Workers

Side-by-Side Comparison

Childcare Workers leads 4–1

Metric	Occupational Therapy Aides	Childcare Workers
Risk Score	24.2%	21.7%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	17th	11th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	5 / 15	2 / 15
Median Salary	$37,370	$32,050
Employment	5K	520K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Getting Information

Documenting/Recording Information

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Processing Information

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Analyzing Data or Information

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Psychology

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Assisting and Caring for Others

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Occupational Therapy Aides

32%

total discount

Childcare Workers

30%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Occupational Therapy Aides

5 of 15 at risk

84%Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.

80%Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.

78%Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.

68%Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.

53%Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.

Childcare Workers

2 of 15 at risk

85%Perform general administrative tasks, such as taking attendance, editing internal paperwork, and making phone calls.

70%Keep records on individual children, including daily observations and information about activities, meals served, and medications administered.

45%Organize and store toys and materials to ensure order in activity areas.

45%Sterilize bottles and prepare formulas.

41%Sanitize toys and play equipment.

Wage Comparison

Childcare Workers earns -$5,320(-14%) vs Occupational Therapy Aides

Occupational Therapy AidesChildcare Workers

10th

$27,970$22,900

25th

$34,840$28,000

Median

$37,370$32,050

75th

$44,190$36,960

90th

$65,580$44,560

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Occupational Therapy Aides2028–2035

Childcare Workers2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Childcare Workers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Occupational Therapy Aides.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Occupational Therapy Aides

$28,338

from $37,370

Childcare Workers

$25,095

from $32,050

After adjusting for AI risk, Occupational Therapy Aides offers $3,243 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Occupational

Unique to Childcare

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation

Regulatory Barriers

Creativity

Decision Complexity

Occupational Therapy AidesChildcare Workers

Find transitions from Occupational Therapy Aides Find transitions from Childcare Workers