Cardiologists
SOC Code: 29-1212
Cardiologists carries a 36% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk) and +4.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 19,400 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 36% AI exposure, Cardiologists sits 1 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 58% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
56/100
Cardiologists, weighted across 2 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage N/A N/A
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B- +4.1%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) D 36% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Cardiologists in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Graduate credential among the thinner entry shelves
Cardiologists is in the Graduate band (113 of 832) with BLS pace Average (378/832). Graduate entry is a minority shelf - pairing it with average growth is the standing that separates this SOC from bachelor-dominated neighbors.
Where Cardiologists sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Cardiologists sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
36% Around the middle lower than 42% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Cardiologists vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Cardiologists is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Cardiologists's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 29-1212) code. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Cardiologists be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Cardiologists. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Administer emergency cardiac care for life-threatening heart problems, such as cardiac arrest and heart attack.
- 2. Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, or disease prevention.
- 3. Answer questions that patients have about their health and well-being.
- 4. Calculate valve areas from blood flow velocity measurements.
- 5. Compare measurements of heart wall thickness and chamber sizes to standards to identify abnormalities, using the results of an echocardiogram.
- 6. Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG), phonocardiogram, echocardiogram, or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity, using specialized electronic test equipment, recording devices, or laboratory instruments.
- 7. Conduct exercise electrocardiogram tests to monitor cardiovascular activity under stress.
- 8. Conduct research to develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures that prevent or control disease or injury.
- 9. Conduct tests of the pulmonary system, using a spirometer or other respiratory testing equipment.
- 10. Design and explain treatment plans, based on patient information such as medical history, reports, and examination results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Cardiologists?
Cardiologists has an AI exposure score of 36%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Cardiologists?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Cardiologists is projected to grow by 4.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 19,400 workers.
What skills are needed for Cardiologists?
Cardiologists requires a combination of technical knowledge and interpersonal skills. Typical education requirement: Doctoral or professional degree.
How much do Cardiologists earn?
Wage data for Cardiologists varies by region, experience, and employer. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes median wage estimates in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Cardiologists?
The typical entry-level education for Cardiologists is Doctoral or professional degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Internship/residency. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Cardiologists?
Cardiologists roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Cardiologists: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (36% here).
- Agricultural technicians · AI exposure 36%
- Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers · AI exposure 36%
- Bioengineers and biomedical engineers · AI exposure 36%
- Elementary school teachers, except special education · AI exposure 36%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.1% here).
- Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary · growth +4.1%
- Architectural and civil drafters · growth +4.1%
- Barbers · growth +4.1%
- Dentists, general · growth +4.1%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 45 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Cardiologists' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Cardiologists side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).