Recreational Therapists vs Rehabilitation Counselors AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Recreational Therapists

57 shared · 22 different

core competencies

medium risk

Rehabilitation Counselors

Side-by-Side Comparison

Recreational Therapists leads 5–0

Metric	Recreational Therapists	Rehabilitation Counselors
Risk Score	22.7%	34.4%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	13th	64th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	2 / 11	7 / 15
Median Salary	$60,280	$46,110
Employment	15K	89K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Thinking Creatively

Scheduling Work and Activities

Performing General Physical Activities

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others

Assisting and Caring for Others

Documenting/Recording Information

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Psychology

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Recreational Therapists

36%

total discount

Rehabilitation Counselors

32%

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.

Rehabilitation Counselors

7 of 15 at risk

86%Prepare and maintain records and case files, including documentation such as clients' personal and eligibility information, services provided, narratives of client contacts, or relevant correspondence.

84%Monitor and record clients' progress to ensure that goals and objectives are met.

82%Arrange for physical, mental, academic, vocational, and other evaluations to obtain information for assessing clients' needs and developing rehabilitation plans.

80%Arrange for on-site job coaching or assistive devices, such as specially equipped wheelchairs, to help clients adapt to work or school environments.

54%Locate barriers to client employment, such as inaccessible work sites, inflexible schedules, or transportation problems, and work with clients to develop strategies for overcoming these barriers.

Wage Comparison

Rehabilitation Counselors earns -$14,170(-24%) vs Recreational Therapists

Recreational TherapistsRehabilitation Counselors

10th

$39,520$34,480

25th

$48,230$38,700

Median

$60,280$46,110

75th

$77,680$59,040

90th

$96,600$77,200

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Recreational Therapists2028–2035

Rehabilitation Counselors2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Recreational Therapists has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Rehabilitation Counselors.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Recreational Therapists

$46,615

from $60,280

Rehabilitation Counselors

$30,230

from $46,110

After adjusting for AI risk, Recreational Therapists offers $16,385 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Recreational

Unique to Rehabilitation

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation

Creativity

Regulatory Barriers

Social Intelligence

Recreational TherapistsRehabilitation Counselors

Find transitions from Recreational Therapists Find transitions from Rehabilitation Counselors