Adapted Physical Education Specialists
Machines can already do 22% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 43%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Adapted Physical Education Specialists in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 22% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 3% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2038, and 43% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 33,930 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $76,580 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 78% for contact with people.
- Also called: Adapted Aquatics Instructor, Adapted Physical Activity Specialist, Adapted Physical Educator, APE Consultant (Adapted Physical Education Consultant).
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement | 16% | 3% to 25% | |
| Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals | 13% | 3% to 25% | |
| Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition | 8% | 3% to 25% | |
| Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students | 6% | 63% to 81% | |
| Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education | 5% | 9% to 23% | |
| Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning | 5% | 32% to 55% | |
| Collaborate with other educational personnel to provide inclusive activities or programs for children with disabilities | 5% | 27% to 46% | |
| Prepare lesson plans in accordance with individualized education plans (IEPs) and the functional abilities or needs of students | 5% | 63% to 81% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills adapted physical education specialists use most, most used first.
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Adapted Physical Education Specialists?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2038. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of adapted physical education specialists?
Machines can do 22% of the tasks of adapted physical education specialists today and 43% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 25-2059.01 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Adapted Physical Education Specialists: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/adapted-physical-education-specialists/