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Spa Therapists

Food Preparation & Servicelowaugment
Projected change (est.): ~+18%
Median Wage (est.): ~$46,910
Employment (est.): ~186K

Overall Exposure

13+5

2025 vs 2023

Theoretical Exposure

22

What AI could do

Observed Exposure

6

What AI actually does

Automation Risk Score

9

Displacement risk

3-Year Outlook (2025 → 2028)

Projected changes in AI automation metrics over the next 3 years based on estimated data.

Overall Exposure

1322
+9

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Theoretical Exposure

2234
+12

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Observed Exposure

612
+6

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Automation Risk

915
+6

2025 → 2028 (estimated)

Exposure Metrics (2023 - 2028)

Task Breakdown

Perform therapeutic massage and body treatments
5%β 0
Assess client conditions and customize treatment plans
25%β 0.5
Manage appointment scheduling and client records
72%β 1
Recommend products and wellness routines to clients
40%β 0.5

About This Occupation

If you work as a Spa Therapist, AI has limited impact on your hands-on profession. With an automation risk of just 9/100 and overall exposure at 13%, this role remains firmly human-centered. The highest-impact area is manage appointment scheduling and client records at 72% automation, but core massage and treatment tasks stay at only 5%. This is classified as an 'augment' role — AI helps with scheduling and product recommendations, not the physical work. BLS projects +18% growth through 2034, reflecting strong demand for wellness services.

ISCO-08 classification

Unit group 3255ILO official

Physiotherapy Technicians and Assistants

Definition

ILO original text (English)

Physiotherapy technicians and assistants provide physical therapeutic treatments to patients in circumstances where functional movement is threatened by injury, disease or impairment. Therapies are usually provided as per rehabilitative plans established by a physiotherapist or other health professional.

Definition & vocabulary source

Source: International Labour Organization (ILO) — ISCO-08 Structure

License: ILO CC BY 4.0

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Official occupational information

  • ONET31-9011.00

    Massage Therapists

    Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints. May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength, or propose client therapy plans.

    View original

Source: O*NET 30.2, U.S. DOL/ETA

License: CC BY 4.0

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Frequently Asked Questions

With an automation risk score of 9%, Spa Therapists has a low risk of AI replacement. Most tasks in this role require skills that are difficult for AI to replicate, such as complex decision-making, physical dexterity, or deep interpersonal interaction. AI is more likely to serve as a supportive tool.

Our estimated AI automation risk score for Spa Therapists is 9% for 2025. Estimated overall AI exposure is 13%, with 22% theoretical exposure and 6% observed exposure. The estimated risk trend from 2023 to 2025 is +4 points. All of these are model-generated estimates, not measurements.

The tasks with the highest automation potential for Spa Therapists are: Manage appointment scheduling and client records (72%), Recommend products and wellness routines to clients (40%), Assess client conditions and customize treatment plans (25%). These rates are our own estimates of how much of each task current AI systems can handle. They are not measurements and are not taken from any external dataset.

We estimate a +18% employment change for Spa Therapists between 2024 and 2034. This is our own estimate, not a figure published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Combined with an estimated overall AI exposure of 13%, this occupation faces both traditional labor market shifts and AI-driven transformation. Workers should monitor both employment trends and AI capability growth.

Since AI primarily augments capabilities in this role, professionals in Spa Therapists should embrace AI as a productivity multiplier. Focus on learning to use AI tools effectively, developing higher-order analytical and creative skills, and positioning yourself as someone who can leverage AI to deliver greater value.

Recent AI Impact Changes

Mar 2026: Published evergreen blog post analyzing AI impact on massage therapists with 13% exposure and 9% automation risk.

[Source: AI Changing Work Blog]