Respiratory Therapists vs Physician Assistants
Median pay is about $54k higher for Physician Assistants. The usual entry education is associate's for Respiratory Therapists and master's for Physician Assistants.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Respiratory Therapists | Physician Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $82,280 | $135,880, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $74,520 | $120,670, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $98,730 | $163,980, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +8.5% Growing fast | +21% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 8,600 | 11,500 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Associate's | Master's |
| Difficulty modeled | 3 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Very low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 41st pct | 28th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, critical thinking, monitoring, speaking, reading comprehension, active learning.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.