Respiratory Therapists

Low Risk
31%

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Vote Comments (9)
AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
27%
(Low Risk)
POLLING
35%
(Low Risk, Based on 101 votes)
Average: 31%
LABOR DEMAND
GROWTH
13.1%
by year 2033
WAGES
$77,960
or $37.48 per hour
Volume
129,750
as of 2023
SUMMARY
What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
7.3/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

People also viewed

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Calculated automation risk

27% (Low Risk)

Low Risk (21-40%): Jobs in this level have a limited risk of automation, as they demand a mix of technical and human-centric skills.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some very important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Assisting and Caring for Others

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Social Perceptiveness

  • Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions

  • Manual Dexterity

  • Finger Dexterity

User poll

35% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted there's a low chance this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 27% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Respiratory Therapists will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Sentiment

The following graph is shown where there are enough votes to produce meaningful data. It displays user poll results over time, providing a clear indication of sentiment trends.

Sentiment over time (yearly)

Growth

Very fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Respiratory Therapists' job openings is expected to rise 13.1% by 2033

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Wages

High paid relative to other professions

In 2023, the median annual wage for 'Respiratory Therapists' was $77,960, or $37 per hour

'Respiratory Therapists' were paid 62.2% higher than the national median wage, which stood at $48,060

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2023 there were 129,750 people employed as 'Respiratory Therapists' within the United States.

This represents around 0.09% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 1 thousand people are employed as 'Respiratory Therapists'.

Job description

Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

SOC Code: 29-1126.00

Comments (9)

Leave a comment
Mike (Low)
28 Nov 2025 04:00
Too many manual dexterity operations for ai to be able to take over.
Jeremy (Low)
03 Jul 2025 16:50
Safe due to using AI as a tool to enhance our jobs between hands on treatment using human skills and critical thinking and emotional skills that AI is yet to replicate for the foreseeable future.
Rt (No chance)
18 Jun 2023 18:43
Jobs which requires more patient interaction cannot be replaced fastly
Duh (Low)
14 Jun 2023 02:15
Lots to do that only a human can do.
RT (Highly likely)
06 Feb 2020 04:14
AI is already being utilized in many companies. Human error in the ICU are the reasons behind AI Mechanical Ventilators. PRVC and VC+ are examples. Ignorant to think AI Mechanical Ventilators aren't plausible.
Ken Wilson
26 Jul 2021 15:59
RT's (especially in ICU, PICU, NICU, ED, Burn Units, etc*) deal with rapidly changing patient conditions and situations, and are involved in a wide variety of invasive procedures, requiring flexibility amid constantly shifting priorities. I can't see AI doing intubations, ABGs, bronchoscopy, ECMO, codes, or actually doing any bedside procedure or patient interaction. I'd give it less than the predicted 7%. *And yes, I've worked in all of these in my 42 years as an RRT
Larry
02 Dec 2021 03:34
Do you realize respiratory therapists do more than respiration and ventilation?
Better RT (No chance)
18 Dec 2021 18:04
PRVC and VC+ is the same thing, just different names due to copyrights. It is a completely different way of breath delivery and has nothing to do with AI. If that were the case, then I wouldn't have to adjust the flow or ramp %. You can have just as big, if not bigger, error with a pressure breathe than you can a volume breathe. So it still comes down to who is checking the vent.
RT (No chance)
12 May 2024 06:36
What does AI mechanical ventilators have to do with RT replacement? sure it would make operating ventilators easier and even untrained people can operate them, but someone has to intubate patients, extubate them, take care of them while they're intubated. Even if the role of RTs decrease in the mechanical ventilation department, there are many other aspects of the job that's hands on work.
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