Resilient

Last Update: 11/4/2026

AI Resilience Score for Recreational Therapists:

65.9%

Median Score

Meaningful human contribution

High

Long-term employer demand

Med

Sustained economic opportunity

High

Our confidence in this score:
Medium

Methodology and Scoring Rationale

To score how resilient recreational therapy is to AI, we ask one question in three parts:

First, how much of the job still needs a human, read from six AI-exposure sources: our own AI Resilience Model, Anthropic's Observed Exposure, Microsoft's AI Applicability, Will Robots Take My Job, OpenAI Signals, and Google ATLAS. We call this dimension Meaningful Human Contribution (MHC) and weight it at 40%.

Next, whether employers will keep hiring for this job over the long term. This dimension, which we call Long-term Employer Demand (LTE), is calculated from BLS data and weighted at 30%.

Last, whether pay and mobility will hold up. We use wage bill and adaptive capacity data from independent researchers (Althoff & Reichardt, 2026; Manning & Aguirre, 2026). We call this dimension Sustained Economic Opportunity (SEO) and weight it at 30%.

For recreational therapists, seven of nine sources had data, and most agreed: the hands-on, relationship-driven nature of this work keeps AI exposure low. Google ATLAS rated exposure medium while AI Resilience Model, Microsoft, Will Robots Take My Job, and OpenAI Signals all rated it high. That broad agreement, with a medium hiring outlook, lands this career at "Resilient."

AI Resilience Report forRecreational Therapists

$61,960 median salary•1,400 annual openings•SOC Code: 29-1125.00

Recreational Therapists are more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 6 sources.

Recreational therapy is labeled "Resilient" because the heart of the work, which is building real human connections with clients through activities, encouragement, and empathy, simply cannot be replicated by AI. While AI tools are already helping therapists handle paperwork, write reports, and plan interventions faster, the hands-on parts of the job (leading a dance session, running an art group, or just being a supportive presence for someone who is struggling) remain deeply human and very hard to automate.

Learn more about how you can thrive in this position

This role is resilient

Recreational therapy is labeled "Resilient" because the heart of the work, which is building real human connections with clients through activities, encouragement, and empathy, simply cannot be replicated by AI. While AI tools are already helping therapists handle paperwork, write reports, and plan interventions faster, the hands-on parts of the job (leading a dance session, running an art group, or just being a supportive presence for someone who is struggling) remain deeply human and very hard to automate.

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Analysis of current AI resilience

Recreational Therapists

Updated quarterly

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Latest AI news for Recreational Therapists

These articles highlight the growing intersection of AI and recreational therapy, emphasizing new career opportunities. For instance, job listings like "Remote Recreational Therapist for AI Training" show that therapists can shape AI systems by developing training materials, ensuring therapeutic methods are accurately represented. Furthermore, discussions on AI's efficacy in therapy suggest that recreational therapists may collaborate with AI to enhance client care. This evolution underscores the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in the field, fostering resilience in a changing job landscape.

More Career Info

Career: Recreational Therapists

They help people improve their well-being by using fun activities like games, arts, and sports to support physical and emotional health.

Alternate Titles

Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) · Recreation Therapist · Recreational Therapist · Rehabilitation Therapist · Activities Coordinator · General Activities Therapist · Recreational Therapy Program Coordinator · Therapeutic Recreation Specialist · Therapeutic Specialist · Therapist

Employment & Wage Data

Median Wage

$61,960

Jobs (2025)

15,600

Growth (2025-35)

+4.8%

Annual Openings

1,400

Education

Bachelor's degree

Experience

None

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-2035

Task-Level AI Resilience Scores

AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years

1

96% ResilienceCore Task

Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.

2

95% ResilienceCore Task

Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.

3

95% ResilienceCore Task

Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.

4

94% ResilienceCore Task

Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.

5

92% ResilienceCore Task

Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.

6

88% ResilienceCore Task

Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.

7

85% ResilienceCore Task

Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.

Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.

The AI Resilience Report is a project from CareerVillage.org®, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

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