← All 785 jobsFile 29-1123
Physical Therapists
Also filed here: Physiotherapist, Physical therapist, Physio
Lightly edited
AI performs some of this work. Most of it still needs a person. The BLS expects 11.9% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
Clinical work often uses specialised medical AI tools that consumer Copilot data does not see, so this file probably understates how much AI touches it.
- Rank
- #207 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +11.9% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $102,760 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 283,700 in the US, with about 13,400 openings a year
The work, 24 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
Still yours: Maintain health or medical records14%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Assist others to access additional services or resources8%
AI performed this in about 1 in 31 Copilot conversations and completed it 88% of the time.
Still yours: Examine people or animals to assess health conditions or physical characteristics7%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Analyze health or medical data7%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,718 conversations, and it got them there 85% of the time.
Still yours: Develop patient or client care or treatment plans7%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Perform administrative or clerical activities6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 401 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
AI does this: Explain medical information to patients or family members6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 230 Copilot conversations and completed it 96% of the time.
Still yours: Administer therapeutic treatments6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Train others on health or medical topics5%
AI performed this in about 1 in 1,890 Copilot conversations and completed it 95% of the time.
AI does this: Process digital or online data4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 136 Copilot conversations and completed it 81% of the time.
Still yours: Monitor health conditions of humans or animals4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Evaluate patient or client condition or treatment options4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient care4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Administer diagnostic tests to assess patient health3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Provide information or assistance to the public3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 7 Copilot conversations and completed it 86% of the time.
Still yours: Operate medical equipment2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Adjust medical equipment to ensure adequate performance2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues2%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 579 conversations, and it got them there 94% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
Still yours: Fabricate medical devices1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Research healthcare issues1%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 142 conversations, and it got them there 93% of the time.
Still yours: Develop public or community health programs1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Advise others on legal or regulatory matters1%
AI performed this in about 1 in 456 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
Still yours: Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 112 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 13,400 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 50% of the workRegistered Nurses19% AI does, against 32% here+5.6% by 2035 · $97,550 · Bachelor’s degree
- Shares 49% of the workPhysicians20% AI does, against 32% here+3.4% by 2035 · $265,930 · Doctoral or professional degree
- Shares 48% of the workNurse Midwives24% AI does, against 32% here+11.5% by 2035 · $134,040 · Master’s degree
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.17, higher than 61% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Clinical work often uses specialised medical AI tools that consumer Copilot data does not see, so this file probably understates how much AI touches it.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 29-1123 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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