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Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of life for individuals facing physical, emotional, or developmental challenges. By empowering clients to engage in meaningful activities, they contribute significantly to healthier communities and foster independence across the UK and beyond.

Occupational Therapist

10

Subjects Allied to Medicine

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO10%moving to54%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSC
STARTING PAY£25,000 - £30,000
REGULATORY MOATThe law requires human oversight. That human could be you.
This job holds up well against AI
AI cannot yet do much of what this job actually involves, and the law requires human oversight. That human could be you. That is about as safe as careers get right now, though it is still worth learning to use the tools well.

Career progression path

Is this the only route?

This is the standard academic trajectory, but modern careers are highly flexible. You can often skip stagesby entering the industry with an advanced qualification (like a Master's or PhD), or pivot sideways from a related discipline.

0ACADEMIC FOUNDATIONUniversity DegreeUsually 3 to 4 years of full-time academic study, explicitly preparing you for the theoretical realities of the industry. Requires A-Levels, BTECs, or equivalent Level 3.-£83,550Avg. UK tuition & living
1FIRST STEPJunior Occupational TherapistAs a junior, you will support senior therapists in delivering care and gaining practical experience.£25,000 - £30,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-Level Occupational TherapistIn this role, you will manage your own caseload and develop more complex treatment plans.£35,000 - £45,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Occupational TherapistYou will lead teams, mentor junior staff, and contribute to service development.£50,000+

Recommended UK degrees

Real courses that qualify you for this career, from the same register that priced the degree above.

Associate's degree in Human NutritionSan Bernardino Valley College · AssociateBiomedical ScienceLeeds Beckett University · DegreeHuman Anatomy with a Foundation YearUniversity of Keele · DegreeAssociate's degree in Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, GeneralImperial Valley College · AssociateBachelor of Food and Nutrition Science (Honours)Adelaide University · BachelorBiomedical ScienceUniversity of Brighton · Degree
Careermash

Careermash: navigate your career path with real data. Explore career profiles, salary benchmarks, AI impact forecasts, and the qualifications you need to get there.

AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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