Ask their goal, then watch
Watch where access fails, since reaching the screen and picking the right button can be separate problems.
Career profile
Assistive Technology Specialist
Assistive technology specialists fit devices and software to each person's reading, communication and computer-use abilities.
Each case starts with figuring out what blocks someone. Then you help pick a tool that works for them and train them on it.
A day in the life
Test the adapted keyboard
Compare it with one other computer control, noting what the person manages with each and which they prefer.
Get a student's setup working
Configure the software, fix a connection problem and show the student and the teacher how it works.
Go over the trial notes
Ask about daily use, then adjust settings or book a new trial if the first pick falls short.
Quick facts
Education plus practical experience
United States
Not available
There is no separate national median for this job title. A local college pay range appears below.
Not available
There is no separate national growth rate or annual openings estimate for this job title.
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Education plus practical experienceRequirements depend on the setting. Technology experience can support an education job; professional certification has its own education-and-experience requirements.
Pay
Not availableThere is no separate national median for this job title. A local college pay range appears below.
Outlook
Not availableThere is no separate national growth rate or annual openings estimate for this job title.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy figuring out why a device behaves differently from what someone expects.
- You can explain a setting patiently and let the learner try it.
- You take someone's preferences seriously when choosing a solution.
Things to weigh
- Teaching and troubleshooting share your day with records, equipment tracking and meetings.
- A promising trial may disappoint in daily use, sending you back to compare options.
Where AI may help
Some phones and tablets now include voice control and eye tracking. These give you more ways to test access without starting with a separate device.
What people still lead
You and the user decide whether a feature works for the actual task and surroundings.
What we can’t predict yet
How far built-in features will replace separate equipment remains uncertain; a convenient feature may still need substantial customization.
Pay in context
Earnings
Use the employer's location, pay scale and scheduled hours to judge an offer. This college range gives you a concrete reference.
A public college pay range
Sierra College in California lists $31.51–$40.24 an hour for Assistive Technology Specialists on its July 2025 schedule. At 2,080 paid hours, that equals about $65,541–$83,699 a year before additional compensation. This is a local contractual range, not a national median.
What changes the amount
Within that district, salary steps and applicable longevity pay affect earnings. Your annual total also depends on paid hours. Ask which step you would enter and how many months the job covers.
Getting started
Build technology experience for college accessibility work
- What the route involves
- Combine bachelor's-level preparation with experience supporting assistive hardware and software.
- What it can lead to
- You can qualify for college roles that install access tools, train students and prepare accessible materials.
- What to check
- San Jose/Evergreen requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent preparation plus two years of assistive technology or related experience. Other employers set their own requirements.
Combine a relevant degree with direct service
- What the route involves
- Earn a bachelor's degree in special education or a qualifying rehabilitation science, then build paid experience assessing technology needs, adjusting equipment or training users.
- What it can lead to
- With 1,500 qualifying service hours within six years, this route meets eligibility to apply for the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) exam. Passing the exam after approval earns the credential.
- What to check
- This is one certification route, not a universal hiring requirement. Order processing alone does not count as qualifying direct service.
Choose a setting before choosing a program. College technology jobs and professional certification have different entry requirements.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Get established
Learn your workplace's devices and keep clear setup notes so you can troubleshoot repeat problems.
Handle more complicated access needs
Develop skill with accessible course materials and coordinate installations with campus technology staff.
Specialize and guide others
Deepen a specialty such as computer access and begin mentoring colleagues through assessments and trials.
Where you can work
School districts
You work with teachers and families, attend individual education-plan meetings, and keep classroom equipment usable. Recommendations must fit how the student learns in class.
- Indoors
- Office
College accessibility services
You support adult students across computer labs and courses. Work can include accessible readings, captioned video and coordination with campus technology staff.
- Indoors
- Office
- Lab
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
On a device you already use, find a feature that reads text aloud. Try the same paragraph at two speeds, then write brief setup instructions. Notice whether you enjoy adjusting a tool and explaining the choice.
Stay safe: Use your own settings and note how to restore them. This explores usability; it does not simulate someone else's disability.
Sources
- Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. Assistive Technology Professional certification. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. ATP Exam Outline: job task domains. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. ATP Exam Eligibility Requirements. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. ATP Application Process. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. Disclosure Guidelines for ATP. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- San Jose/Evergreen Community College District. Assistive Technology Specialist classified job description. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Alameda Unified School District. Assistive Technology Specialist job description. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Apple. Accessibility features. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2025 Occupation Profiles. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025–2035. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Sierra Joint Community College District. 2024–2027 agreement with United Public Employees of California, July 2025 salary schedule. Accessed 2026-09-29.