Respiratory Therapists vs Physical Therapist Assistants AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Respiratory Therapists

62 shared · 25 different

core competencies

low risk

Physical Therapist Assistants

Side-by-Side Comparison

Physical Therapist Assistants leads 4–1

Metric	Respiratory Therapists	Physical Therapist Assistants
Risk Score	27.1%	22.5%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	25th	12th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	3 / 15	1 / 15
Median Salary	$80,450	$65,510
Employment	136K	108K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Controlling Machines and Processes

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material

Medicine and Dentistry

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Chemistry

MathematicsAI-Vulnerable

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Customer and Personal Service

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Science

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Analyzing Data or Information

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Respiratory Therapists

36%

total discount

Physical Therapist Assistants

34%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

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.

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 -$14,940(-19%) vs Respiratory Therapists

Respiratory TherapistsPhysical Therapist Assistants

10th

$61,900$46,020

25th

$68,410$58,240

Median

$80,450$65,510

75th

$95,530$77,270

90th

$108,820$87,630

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Respiratory Therapists2028–2035

Physical Therapist Assistants2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Physical Therapist Assistants 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%)

Respiratory Therapists

$58,672

from $80,450

Physical Therapist Assistants

$50,757

from $65,510

After adjusting for AI risk, Respiratory Therapists offers $7,915 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Respiratory

Unique to Physical

Combined Protection Strategy

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

Decision Complexity

Regulatory Barriers

Social Intelligence

Creativity

Respiratory TherapistsPhysical Therapist Assistants

Find transitions from Respiratory Therapists Find transitions from Physical Therapist Assistants