Healthcare · SOC 29-1126
Respiratory therapists work with critically ill patients — clinical judgment and hands-on ICU intervention are non-negotiable.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: AI-assisted ventilator management and predictive monitoring are in development, but the hands-on critical care environment requires licensed therapists at the bedside through 2035.
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Healthcare
$223,210 median pay
$210,130 median pay
Healthcare
$78,140 median pay
$41,340 median pay
AI job-risk card
Respiratory Therapists is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Respiratory Therapists is 22/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
22 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Reading and interpreting arterial blood gas results, Reviewing prescriptions and patient data for treatment setup, Maintaining patient treatment charts and records. Harder to automate: Setting up and operating mechanical ventilators at bedside, Providing emergency airway and cardiac support, Collaborating with ICU teams during acute patient events, Adjusting ventilator settings based on real-time patient response.
Lean into Mechanical ventilation management, Advanced airway management, Critical care monitoring, Emergency respiratory intervention, Pulmonary function testing. Consider roles such as ICU respiratory care supervisor or Pulmonary rehabilitation specialist or Sleep disorders technologist.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.