Radiation therapists
SOC Code: 29-1124
Radiation therapists carries a 52% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $101,990 and +1.9% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 19,200 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 52% AI exposure, Radiation therapists sits 15 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 88% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
49/100
Radiation therapists, weighted across 3 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 A $101,990
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth D +1.9%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 52% 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 Radiation therapists in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Slow growth (245/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Radiation therapists sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Radiation therapists sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
52% Higher than most higher than 88% 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.
Radiation therapists vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Radiation therapists 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
Radiation therapists's High 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 in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
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 29-1124) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Radiation therapists 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 Radiation therapists. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription.
- 2. Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards.
- 3. Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others.
- 4. Review prescription, diagnosis, patient chart, and identification.
- 5. Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician.
- 6. Enter data into computer and set controls to operate or adjust equipment or regulate dosage.
- 7. Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation.
- 8. Observe and reassure patients during treatment and report unusual reactions to physician or turn equipment off if unexpected adverse reactions occur.
- 9. Educate, prepare, and reassure patients and their families by answering questions, providing physical assistance, and reinforcing physicians' advice regarding treatment reactions or post-treatment care.
- 10. Maintain records, reports, or files as required, including such information as radiation dosages, equipment settings, or patients' reactions.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Operations Monitoring
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Service Orientation
- Writing
Knowledge Areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Biology
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Radiation therapists?
Radiation therapists has an AI exposure score of 52%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Radiation therapists?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Radiation therapists is projected to grow by 1.9% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 19,200 workers.
What skills are needed for Radiation therapists?
Key skills for Radiation therapists include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Associate's degree.
How much do Radiation therapists earn?
The median annual wage for Radiation therapists is $101,990, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Radiation therapists?
The typical entry-level education for Radiation therapists is Associate's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Radiation therapists?
Radiation therapists 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
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Radiation therapists: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (52% here).
- Gambling change persons and booth cashiers · AI exposure 52%
- Gambling dealers · AI exposure 52%
- Logisticians · AI exposure 52%
- Public safety telecommunicators · AI exposure 52%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+1.9% here).
- Industrial production managers · growth +1.9%
- Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products · growth +1.9%
- Cement masons and concrete finishers · growth +1.8%
- Computer network support specialists · growth +1.8%
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 14 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Radiation therapists' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Radiation therapists 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).