SOC 29-1122.01Bright outlook

    Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists

    Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities.

    Median pay
    $100,330
    Growth
    +14.8%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    10,000
    Typical education
    Master's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Occupational therapists"

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $71,690
    Median
    $100,330
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $131,950
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    162,450 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    These specialists provide therapy to visually impaired patients to improve their daily functioning, teaching skills like home management and computer use. The median annual pay for the broader occupational therapist group is $100,330.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    Professionals in this field help individuals with visual impairments navigate their daily lives. They teach patients essential communication, computer, and home management skills. Day-to-day activities involve assessing patient needs, making decisions to solve functional problems, and providing direct care. They must plan and prioritize training sessions while establishing strong interpersonal relationships with their patients. Keeping detailed records and communicating progress to supervisors and peers are also key parts of the job.

    Success in this role requires a strong social interest and a service-oriented mindset. Practitioners use active listening, speaking, and instructing skills to teach patients effectively. They draw on knowledge of therapy, counseling, psychology, and education. Understanding public safety, transportation, and geography is also important, particularly for orientation and mobility specialists who help patients travel safely. The work demands empathy, cooperation, dependability, and attention to detail, alongside perseverance and sincerity when helping patients adapt to their environments.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires extensive preparation. Most professionals need a graduate degree, and a master's degree is the typical entry-level education. Students generally major in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions.

    Depending on their specific role, practitioners can pursue professional credentials. Available certifications include the Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist for People with Visual Impairments and the Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, both offered by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals. Additionally, some states list licensing requirements for individuals practicing in this field.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for this career is $100,330, based on figures for the broader occupational therapists group. The lowest 10 percent of earners in this group make less than $71,690, while the highest 10 percent earn more than $131,950.

    There are 162,450 people employed in this field. Employment is projected to grow by 14.8 percent from 2025 to 2035, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in 10,000 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    49 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    48 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    37 / 100
    Social (S) · strongest
    92 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    19 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    31 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code SRI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    85
    Assisting and Caring for Others
    82
    Documenting/Recording Information
    81
    Getting Information
    78
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    78
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    76
    Training and Teaching Others
    76
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    72
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    71
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Learning Strategies
    • Speaking
    • Instructing
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Service Orientation
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Active Learning
    • Monitoring
    • Writing

    Knowledge

    • English Language
    • Education and Training
    • Psychology
    • Transportation
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Sociology and Anthropology
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Geography

    Abilities

    • Oral Expression
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Speech Clarity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Speech Recognition
    • Category Flexibility
    • Fluency of Ideas

    Work styles

    • Empathy
    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Optimism
    • Sincerity
    • Social Orientation
    • Attention to Detail
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Self-Control

    Also called

    Blind Orientation and Mobility Therapist (Blind O and M Therapist) · Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT) · Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) · Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (CVRT) · Global Mobility Specialist · Low Vision Therapist · Mobility Professional · Mobility Specialist · Orientation and Mobility Instructor (O and M Instructor) · Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O and M Specialist)

    Career pathway

    From your interests to low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists$100,330 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Ithaca College logo
      Ithaca College

      Ithaca, NY · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $76,766
      Median debt
      $25,000
    2. 2University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus logo
      University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

      Pittsburgh, PA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $43,925
      4 yrs after
      $75,950
      Median debt
      $23,307
    3. 3Worcester State University logo
      Worcester State University

      Worcester, MA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $74,386
      Median debt
      $25,500
    4. 4Saint Francis University logo
      Saint Francis University

      Loretto, PA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $72,821
      Median debt
      $27,000
    5. 5University of New Hampshire-Main Campus logo
      University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

      Durham, NH · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $72,625
      Median debt
      $27,000
    6. 6Boston University logo
      Boston University

      Boston, MA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $44,945
      4 yrs after
      $72,566
      Median debt
      $17,110
    7. 7
      Duquesne University

      Pittsburgh, PA · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $72,059
      Median debt
      $26,000
    8. 8Saint Louis University logo
      Saint Louis University

      Saint Louis, MO · Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $70,351
      Median debt
      $23,244

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Occupational Therapy/Therapist

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    44 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common job titles in this field?

    People in this profession are known by several titles, including Certified Low Vision Therapist, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist. Others may work as mobility professionals or orientation and mobility instructors.

    What is the job outlook for this profession?

    The field is experiencing strong growth, with employment projected to increase by 14.8 percent between 2025 and 2035. This rate of growth is considered much faster than average and will generate an estimated 10,000 job openings annually.

    What kind of education do I need to enter this career?

    You will typically need a master's degree to enter this field. Most professionals require extensive preparation, which often involves earning a graduate degree in rehabilitation and therapeutic professions.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.