Registered Nurses vs Physical Therapist Assistants AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Registered Nurses

60 shared · 26 different

core competencies

low risk

Physical Therapist Assistants

Side-by-Side Comparison

Physical Therapist Assistants leads 4–1

Metric	Registered Nurses	Physical Therapist Assistants
Risk Score	24.4%	22.5%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	18th	12th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	4 / 15	1 / 15
Median Salary	$93,600	$65,510
Employment	3.3M	108K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Inductive Reasoning

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Psychology

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

MathematicsAI-Vulnerable

Performing General Physical Activities

Problem Sensitivity

Therapy and Counseling

Medicine and Dentistry

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Registered Nurses

36%

total discount

Physical Therapist Assistants

34%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Registered Nurses

4 of 15 at risk

86%Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.

65%Record patients' medical information and vital signs.

57%Conduct specified laboratory tests.

54%Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.

44%Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.

Physical Therapist Assistants

1 of 15 at risk

86%Document patient information, such as notes on their progress.

43%Observe patients during treatments to compile and evaluate data on their responses and progress and provide results to physical therapist in person or through progress notes.

43%Clean work area and check and store equipment after treatment.

42%Instruct, motivate, safeguard, and assist patients as they practice exercises or functional activities.

39%Secure patients into or onto therapy equipment.

Wage Comparison

Physical Therapist Assistants earns -$28,090(-30%) vs Registered Nurses

Registered NursesPhysical Therapist Assistants

10th

$66,030$46,020

25th

$78,610$58,240

Median

$93,600$65,510

75th

$107,960$77,270

90th

$135,320$87,630

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Registered Nurses2028–2035

Physical Therapist Assistants2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Physical Therapist Assistants has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Registered Nurses.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Registered Nurses

$70,771

from $93,600

Physical Therapist Assistants

$50,757

from $65,510

After adjusting for AI risk, Registered Nurses offers $20,014 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Registered

Unique to Physical

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Social Intelligence

Decision Complexity

Fine Manipulation

Regulatory Barriers

Registered NursesPhysical Therapist Assistants

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