Recreational Therapists vs Adapted Physical Education Specialists AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Recreational Therapists

68 shared · 18 different

core competencies

low risk

Adapted Physical Education Specialists

Side-by-Side Comparison

Recreational Therapists leads 4–1

Metric	Recreational Therapists	Adapted Physical Education Specialists
Risk Score	22.7%	24.8%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	13th	19th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	2 / 11	5 / 15
Median Salary	$60,280	$67,430
Employment	15K	39K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others

Education and Training

Therapy and Counseling

Customer and Personal Service

Scheduling Work and Activities

Performing General Physical Activities

Law and Government

Training and Teaching Others

Administration and Management

Documenting/Recording Information

Analyzing Data or Information

Developing Objectives and Strategies

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Recreational Therapists

36%

total discount

Adapted Physical Education Specialists

38%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Recreational Therapists

2 of 11 at risk

86%Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.

52%Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.

47%Develop discharge plans for patients.

45%Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients themselves to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.

43%Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.

Adapted Physical Education Specialists

5 of 15 at risk

86%Maintain thorough student records to document attendance, participation, or progress, ensuring confidentiality of all records.

69%Write reports to summarize student performance, social growth, or physical development.

57%Prepare lesson plans in accordance with individualized education plans (IEPs) and the functional abilities or needs of students.

55%Write or modify individualized education plans (IEPs) for students with intellectual or physical disabilities.

51%Assist in screening or placement of students in adapted physical education programs.

Wage Comparison

Adapted Physical Education Specialists earns +$7,150(+12%) vs Recreational Therapists

Recreational TherapistsAdapted Physical Education Specialists

10th

$39,520$43,220

25th

$48,230$53,470

Median

$60,280$67,430

75th

$77,680$87,890

90th

$96,600$109,360

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Recreational Therapists2028–2035

Adapted Physical Education Specialists2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Recreational Therapists has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Adapted Physical Education Specialists.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Recreational Therapists

$46,615

from $60,280

Adapted Physical Education Specialists

$50,687

from $67,430

After adjusting for AI risk, Adapted Physical Education Specialists offers $4,073 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Recreational

Unique to Adapted

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation

Regulatory Barriers

Social Intelligence

Decision Complexity

Recreational TherapistsAdapted Physical Education Specialists

Find transitions from Recreational Therapists Find transitions from Adapted Physical Education Specialists