Registered Nurses vs Respiratory Therapists AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Registered Nurses

77 shared · 13 different

core competencies

medium risk

Respiratory Therapists

Side-by-Side Comparison

Registered Nurses leads 4–1

Metric	Registered Nurses	Respiratory Therapists
Risk Score	24.4%	27.1%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	18th	25th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	4 / 15	3 / 15
Median Salary	$93,600	$80,450
Employment	3.3M	136K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Controlling Machines and Processes

Psychology

Analyzing Data or Information

Handling and Moving Objects

Therapy and Counseling

CoordinationAI-Resistant

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Speech Recognition

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material

Problem Sensitivity

Social PerceptivenessAI-Resistant

Oral Comprehension

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Registered Nurses

36%

total discount

Respiratory Therapists

36%

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.

Respiratory Therapists

3 of 15 at risk

88%Relay blood analysis results to a physician.

86%Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.

80%Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.

49%Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.

47%Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.

Wage Comparison

Respiratory Therapists earns -$13,150(-14%) vs Registered Nurses

Registered NursesRespiratory Therapists

10th

$66,030$61,900

25th

$78,610$68,410

Median

$93,600$80,450

75th

$107,960$95,530

90th

$135,320$108,820

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Registered Nurses2028–2035

Respiratory Therapists2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Registered Nurses has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Respiratory Therapists.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Registered Nurses

$70,771

from $93,600

Respiratory Therapists

$58,672

from $80,450

After adjusting for AI risk, Registered Nurses offers $12,099 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Registered

Unique to Respiratory

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Fine Manipulation

Social Intelligence

Creativity

Regulatory Barriers

Registered NursesRespiratory Therapists

Find transitions from Registered Nurses Find transitions from Respiratory Therapists