Registered Nurses vs Occupational Therapy Aides AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Registered Nurses

45 shared · 38 different

core competencies

low risk

Occupational Therapy Aides

Side-by-Side Comparison

Occupational Therapy Aides leads 3–2

Metric	Registered Nurses	Occupational Therapy Aides
Risk Score	24.4%	24.2%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	18th	17th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	4 / 15	5 / 15
Median Salary	$93,600	$37,370
Employment	3.3M	5K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Medicine and Dentistry

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Inductive Reasoning

Psychology

MathematicsAI-Vulnerable

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Problem Sensitivity

Deductive Reasoning

Education and Training

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Written Comprehension

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Registered Nurses

36%

total discount

Occupational Therapy Aides

32%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Registered Nurses

4 of 15 at risk

86%Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.

65%Record patients' medical information and vital signs.

57%Conduct specified laboratory tests.

54%Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.

44%Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.

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.

Wage Comparison

Occupational Therapy Aides earns -$56,230(-60%) vs Registered Nurses

Registered NursesOccupational Therapy Aides

10th

$66,030$27,970

25th

$78,610$34,840

Median

$93,600$37,370

75th

$107,960$44,190

90th

$135,320$65,580

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Registered Nurses2028–2035

Occupational Therapy Aides2028–2035

20242030203520402045

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

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Registered Nurses

$70,771

from $93,600

Occupational Therapy Aides

$28,338

from $37,370

After adjusting for AI risk, Registered Nurses offers $42,433 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Registered

Unique to Occupational

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Regulatory Barriers

Decision Complexity

Social Intelligence

Creativity

Registered NursesOccupational Therapy Aides

Find transitions from Registered Nurses Find transitions from Occupational Therapy Aides