Healthcare practitioners
Respiratory therapist
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.
Median pay
$82,280
Growth to 2035
+9%
faster than average
Openings a year
8,600
Time to qualify*
2 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Respiratory therapist
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Respiratory therapist: 48% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
- Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
- Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
- Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
- Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.
- Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
Also called: CRRT (Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist) · CRT (Certified Respiratory Therapist) · Diagnostics RRT (Diagnostics Registered Respiratory Therapist) · Infant RT (Infant Respiratory Therapist) · Licensed CRT (Licensed Certified Respiratory Therapist) · Licensed RT (Licensed Respiratory Therapist) · Registered Respiratory Care Practitioner (Registered RCP) · Registered Respiratory Practitioner
Outlook and AI
Respiratory therapists held 142,000 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 154,200 by 2035 (+9%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share increases as the demand for respiratory care services grows. Respiratory therapists will be increasingly needed across hospital and non-hospital settings to treat a wide variety of conditions and patients.
Compare with
- Respiratory therapist vs. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Respiratory therapist vs. Paramedic
- Respiratory therapist vs. Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist vs. Radiation therapist
- Respiratory therapist vs. Physical therapist assistant
- Respiratory therapist vs. Physical therapist
- Respiratory therapist vs. Occupational therapy assistant
- Respiratory therapist vs. Physical therapist aide