Matches people with disabilities to devices such as power wheelchairs, communication aids and adapted computers, then sets them up and trains users. BLS does not publish separate figures for rehabilitation counselors; it counts them within rehabilitation counselor (SOC 21-1015), whose median pay is $46,850 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 21-1015
- Community and Social Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Assistive Technology Professional in four numbers
- Median pay
- $46,850a year, or $22.52/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $35KTop 10% $77K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.2%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 8,20096,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202596.9K
- Projected 203599K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 96.9K Projected 2035 99K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Assistive Technology Specialist, ATP, Rehabilitation Technology Specialist, Seating and Mobility Specialist, AT Specialist.
Pay
How much do Rehabilitation Counselors make?
Every assistive technology professional in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$46,850
Middle half earn $38,770 to $59,260
- 10th
- $35,060
- 25th
- $38,770
- 75th
- $59,260
- 90th
- $77,170
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,060 |
| 25th | $38,770 |
| Median | $46,850 |
| 75th | $59,260 |
| 90th | $77,170 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $46,850
- Median hourly wage
- $22.52/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $51,820
- People employed
- 94,740
Versus all US occupations
At $46,850, Rehabilitation Counselors earn 8% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $4,130 a year.
Versus community and social service occupations
Inside the Community and Social Service group, where the middle occupation pays $60,300, this is 22% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,170 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,060, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 15% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Wyoming pays the most at $67,640, and still leads at $72,974 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Rehabilitation Counselors the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wyoming | $67,640 | $72,974 | 70 |
| 2North Dakota | $63,050 | $70,875 | 210 |
| 3Alaska | $61,590 | $60,171 | 130 |
| 4Kentucky | $58,540 | $64,930 | 790 |
| 5Washington | $58,050 | $54,246 | 5,440 |
| 6Connecticut | $56,340 | $54,377 | 2,410 |
| 7Georgia | $55,000 | $57,117 | 740 |
| 8Oregon | $54,970 | $53,183 | 1,630 |
| 9Idaho | $54,550 | $57,124 | 820 |
| 10Alabama | $54,040 | $60,840 | 540 |
Job outlook
Is Assistive Technology Professional a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Counselors | +2.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Rehabilitation Counselors to change 2.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 2,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 8,200 openings are projected each year, 8.5% of the 96,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Assistive Technology Professional
Many ATPs are occupational or physical therapists, rehabilitation engineers, special educators or vocational rehabilitation counselors who add the specialty, while others come from equipment supplier roles. A bachelor's degree in a related field is typical.
RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, offers the Assistive Technology Professional certification, which requires education and supervised experience plus an exam, and a further Seating and Mobility Specialist certification. Medicare requires an ATP to be involved in supplying many complex power wheelchairs, which keeps the credential in demand. Every state runs an assistive technology program funded under federal law, a common place to gain experience.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does an Assistive Technology Professional do?
Assistive technology professionals help people with disabilities use technology to work, learn, communicate and move around more independently. They assess what a person needs to do and what is getting in the way, then recommend tools: custom wheelchairs and seating, switches and eye-gaze systems for computer access, screen readers and magnifiers, smart home controls or adapted vehicles.
After a recommendation, they handle the practical side: documenting medical necessity for insurers, configuring and fitting equipment, training users and caregivers, and following up when needs change. ATPs work in rehabilitation hospitals, durable medical equipment suppliers, vocational rehabilitation agencies, school districts, universities and state assistive technology programs. Seating and mobility specialists are a common specialty within the field.
Day-to-day tasks
- Assess clients' functional needs and goals
- Recommend devices for mobility, communication and computer access
- Fit and configure wheelchairs, seating and controls
- Document medical necessity for insurance and funding sources
- Train users, families and caregivers on equipment
- Coordinate with therapists, physicians and suppliers
- Adjust or replace equipment as needs change
- Keep current on new assistive devices and software
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
ATPs work in clinics, schools, workplaces and clients' homes, with considerable local travel. The job involves lifting and adjusting equipment and working directly with clients. Hours are mostly regular weekday schedules. Some roles involve evaluating clients at work sites or schools, and equipment deliveries can require adjusting devices on the spot.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.1
- Speaking4.1
- Monitoring4.1
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Writing3.5
- Active Learning3.3
- Learning Strategies3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Monitoring | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.1
- Coordination4.0
- Service Orientation4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
- Systems Evaluation3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Time Management3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.1 |
| Coordination | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Document management software
- Internet browser software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Assistive Technology Professional?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code SIR) built on O*NET's Rehabilitation Counselor profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Assistive Technology Professional |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social6.8
- Investigative4.2
- Enterprising3.6
- Conventional3.3
- Artistic3.0
- Realistic2.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Assistive Technology Professional
O*NET related occupations
- Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
$60,280median a year
Most earn $40K to $104K
+10.3%Master's - Community and Social Service
Mental Health Counselor
$60,320median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+10.9%Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed - Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
- Healthcare Support
More community and social service careers
Median annual pay, with rehabilitation counselors highlighted
- Healthcare Social Worker$67,880
- Marriage and Family Therapist$66,940
- Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$66,270
- Health Education Specialist$64,070
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$60,280
- Community Health Worker$51,850
- Rehabilitation Counselor$46,850
- Assistive Technology Professional$46,850
- Social and Human Service Assistant$45,930
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $66,940 |
| Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist | $66,270 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $60,280 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 |
| Assistive Technology Professional | $46,850 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $45,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Assistive Technology Professional appears on
Questions
Assistive Technology Professional: frequently asked questions
How much do Rehabilitation Counselors make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for rehabilitation counselors. It counts them within rehabilitation counselor, whose median pay is $46,850 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $38,770 and $59,260, and the top 10% earn $77,170 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Assistive Technology Professional?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Rehabilitation Counselors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation.
Is Assistive Technology Professional a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.2% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 8,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Assistive Technology Professional do?
Assistive technology professionals help people with disabilities use technology to work, learn, communicate and move around more independently. A typical task: assess clients' functional needs and goals. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
Which states pay Rehabilitation Counselors the most?
The highest state medians for Rehabilitation Counselors are Wyoming ($67,640), North Dakota ($63,050), Alaska ($61,590) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Assistive Technology Professional?
O*NET scores Rehabilitation Counselors highest on the Social, Investigative and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.