How to become a Respiratory Therapist

Official title: Respiratory Therapists

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, Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP), RRT (Registered 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.

Main 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.

How to become one

Respiratory therapists typically need an associate's degree in respiratory therapy. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor's degree. Respiratory therapists must be licensed in all states except Alaska; requirements vary by state.

Typical education to start: Associate's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Respiratory Therapist (Rt).
• Certificate or associate's degree: Associate's degree. Programs such as Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist
• Licence: A licence is required in 47 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $82,280 a year The middle half earn $74,520 to $98,730.
• About 142,000 people work in this job now, and about 154,200 are projected by 2035. (+8.5%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Respiratory Therapist?

Respiratory therapists typically need an associate's degree in respiratory therapy. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor's degree. Respiratory therapists must be licensed in all states except Alaska; requirements vary by state.

How much does a Respiratory Therapist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $82,280 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $74,520 to $98,730.

Is a Respiratory Therapist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 9% by 2035, from about 142,000 to about 154,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Respiratory Therapist?

Not always. 33% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Associate's degree; Respiratory Therapist (Rt).

Will AI change the work of a Respiratory Therapist?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.