Radiation Therapists
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-1124.00
Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Duties may include reviewing prescription and diagnosis; acting as liaison with physician and supportive care personnel; preparing equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices; and maintaining records, reports, and files. May assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Moderate· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.22
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only22 rated tasks · 11 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (50.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Maintain records, reports, or files as required, including such information as radiation dosages, equipment settings, or patients' reactions.O*NET Task ID 4089 | 1.0 |
Enter data into computer and set controls to operate or adjust equipment or regulate dosage.O*NET Task ID 4087 | 0.5 |
Review prescription, diagnosis, patient chart, and identification.O*NET Task ID 4090 | 0.5 |
Check for side effects, such as skin irritation, nausea, or hair loss to assess patients' reaction to treatment.O*NET Task ID 4094 | 0.5 |
Calculate actual treatment dosages delivered during each session.O*NET Task ID 4096 | 0.5 |
Photograph treated area of patient and process film.O*NET Task ID 4098 | 0.5 |
Help physicians, radiation oncologists, or clinical physicists to prepare physical or technical aspects of radiation treatment plans, using information about patient condition and anatomy.O*NET Task ID 4099 | 0.5 |
Act as liaison with physicist and supportive care personnel.O*NET Task ID 4101 | 0.5 |
Provide assistance to other healthcare personnel during dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.O*NET Task ID 4102 | 0.5 |
Implement appropriate follow-up care plans.O*NET Task ID 4103 | 0.5 |
Schedule patients for treatment times.O*NET Task ID 20408 | 0.5 |
Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards.O*NET Task ID 4085 | 0.0 |
Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription.O*NET Task ID 4086 | 0.0 |
Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others.O*NET Task ID 4088 | 0.0 |
Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician.O*NET Task ID 4091 | 0.0 |
Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation.O*NET Task ID 4092 | 0.0 |
Observe and reassure patients during treatment and report unusual reactions to physician or turn equipment off if unexpected adverse reactions occur.O*NET Task ID 4093 | 0.0 |
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.O*NET Task ID 4095 | 0.0 |
Prepare or construct equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, or protection devices.O*NET Task ID 4097 | 0.0 |
Train or supervise student or subordinate radiotherapy technologists.O*NET Task ID 4100 | 0.0 |
Store, sterilize, or prepare the special applicators containing the radioactive substance implanted by the physician.O*NET Task ID 4104 | 0.0 |
Assist in the preparation of sealed radioactive materials, such as cobalt, radium, cesium, or isotopes, for use in radiation treatments.O*NET Task ID 4105 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (22)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards. | Core |
| Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription. | Core |
| Enter data into computer and set controls to operate or adjust equipment or regulate dosage. | Core |
| Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others. | Core |
| Maintain records, reports, or files as required, including such information as radiation dosages, equipment settings, or patients' reactions. | Core |
| Review prescription, diagnosis, patient chart, and identification. | Core |
| Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician. | Core |
| Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation. | Core |
| Observe and reassure patients during treatment and report unusual reactions to physician or turn equipment off if unexpected adverse reactions occur. | Core |
| Check for side effects, such as skin irritation, nausea, or hair loss to assess patients' reaction to treatment. | Core |
| 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. | Core |
| Calculate actual treatment dosages delivered during each session. | Core |
| Prepare or construct equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, or protection devices. | Core |
| Photograph treated area of patient and process film. | Core |
| Help physicians, radiation oncologists, or clinical physicists to prepare physical or technical aspects of radiation treatment plans, using information about patient condition and anatomy. | Core |
| Train or supervise student or subordinate radiotherapy technologists. | Core |
| Act as liaison with physicist and supportive care personnel. | Core |
| Provide assistance to other healthcare personnel during dosimetry procedures and tumor localization. | Core |
| Schedule patients for treatment times. | Core |
| Implement appropriate follow-up care plans. | Supplemental |
| Store, sterilize, or prepare the special applicators containing the radioactive substance implanted by the physician. | Supplemental |
| Assist in the preparation of sealed radioactive materials, such as cobalt, radium, cesium, or isotopes, for use in radiation treatments. | Supplemental |
0.65/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards. | E2 structured facilities |
| Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others. | E0 none |
| Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| 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. | E0 none |
| Prepare or construct equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, or protection devices. | E0 none |
| Photograph treated area of patient and process film. | E2 structured facilities |
| Help physicians, radiation oncologists, or clinical physicists to prepare physical or technical aspects of radiation treatment plans, using information about patient condition and anatomy. | E0 none |
| Provide assistance to other healthcare personnel during dosimetry procedures and tumor localization. | E0 none |
| Store, sterilize, or prepare the special applicators containing the radioactive substance implanted by the physician. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Assist in the preparation of sealed radioactive materials, such as cobalt, radium, cesium, or isotopes, for use in radiation treatments. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 17K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 18K
- Change (2025–35)
- +2.8%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $105,310
- Typical education needed for entry
- Associate's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24620 | 방사선사 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 3211Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Equipment Technicians
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Medical imaging and therapeutic equipment technicians test and operate radiographic, ultrasound and other medical imaging equipment to produce images of body structures for the diagnosis and treatment of injury, disease and other impairments. They may administer radiation treatments to patients under the supervision of a radiologist or other health professional.
Tasks
- (a) operating or overseeing operation of radiologic, ultrasound and magnetic imaging equipment to produce images of the body for diagnostic purposes;
- (b) explaining procedures, observing and positioning patients, and using protection devices to ensure safety and comfort during examination, scan or treatment;
- (c) position imaging or treatment equipment, monitoring video displays, and adjusting settings and controls according to technical specifications;
- (d) reviewing and evaluating developed x-rays, video tape or computer generated information to determine if images are satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, and recording results of procedures;
- (e) monitoring patients' conditions and reactions, and reporting abnormal signs to a medical practitioner;
- (f) measuring and recording radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received and used for patients, following prescription issued by a medical practitioner;
- (g) administering, detecting and mapping radiopharmaceuticals or radiation in patients' bodies, using radioisotope, camera or other equipment for diagnosing and treating diseases;
- (h) recording and disposing of radioactive materials and storing radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures.
Example occupations
Diagnostic medical radiographer · Magnetic resonance imaging technologist · Mammographer · Medical radiation therapist · Nuclear medicine technologist · Radiographer · Sonographer
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
ISCO-08 3211
- clinical perfusion scientistESCO 3211.1
Clinical perfusion scientists operate heart-lung equipment during surgical operations to ensure breathing and blood circulation. They work as part of the surgical team, connect patients to the heart-lung machines in preparation for surgery, monitor their condition during surgery, report to the team on the patients' status and determine the necessary techniques according to their needs.
ESCO occupations that ESCO classifies under the ISCO-08 unit groups linked above; they are not matched to this occupation one by one.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| J1306 | Manipulateur / Manipulatrice d'électroradiologie médicale | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 3311 | Técnicos en radioterapia | Same scope |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 81232 | Medizinisch-technische Berufe in der Radiologie - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 81233 | Medizinisch-technische Berufe in der Radiologie - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 141 | 診療放射線技師 | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources