If you decide to become a respiratory therapist, you can expect to work hard—but the rewards will be well worth it. Not only will you make an excellent wage, but you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped to improve people’s health and their lives.

AND…

You will know that you work in a secure profession.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the respiratory therapist profession will grow much faster than average at a rate of 21% in the coming decade. This is especially true for those respiratory therapists who work with babies or have cardiopulmonary skills.

Why the Job Growth?

One of the biggest reasons that respiratory therapists are needed now—and will be needed much more in the future—is the aging of the population.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average life expectancy for an American in 2012 will be 78.3 years. Medical advances and life style changes have contributed to a greater population of middle aged to elderly people—and these people who are more likely to need the services of a respiratory therapist.

What Does a Respiratory Therapist Do?

In simple terms, respiratory therapists help people to breathe. But there is nothing simple about the important—and even life saving—duties of a respiratory therapist.

Some of the many complex duties of a respiratory therapist include:

• Running diagnostic tests on patients
• Interviewing and evaluating a patient’s respiratory ailments
• Treating premature infants who cannot yet breathe on their own
• Treating elderly sufferers of pneumonia, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
• Connecting patients who cannot breathe on their own to incubators and closely monitoring them
• Working with physicians to develop an appropriate healthcare plan for the patient
• Performing chest physiotherapy—a process that removes mucus from the lungs—on patients

In addition, some new fields that are opening up to respiratory therapists include:

• Pulmonary therapy
• Polysomnography—diagnosing such sleeping breathing disorders as sleep apnea
• Rapid response team member in a hospital
• Directing smoking cessation programs

Respiratory Therapist Salary

A respiratory therapist’s salary varies quite a bit depending upon the type of workplace—i.e hospital or doctor’s offices—and the focus of their practice. They typically earn between $39,990 and $63,510.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• The median annual salary of respiratory therapists is $54,280
• The highest 10 percent earned more than $73,400
• The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,000

In 2010, the median annual income of respiratory therapists who worked in medical and surgical hospitals was $54,840.

But there is another level to the respiratory therapy profession—the technicians.

Respiratory therapy technicians generally have less responsibility that a full respiratory therapist, a fact that is reflected in their salaries.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• The mean annual salary of respiratory therapy technicians is $46,340
• The middle 50 percent earned $45,210
• The highest 10 percent earned more than $65,500
• The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,000

Figures courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment & Wages database.

Top Respiratory Therapist Schools

• 

  Concorde Career College

  With over 15 years of experience in preparing adults for rewarding careers, Concorde is a recognized leader in training Healthcare Professionals. We offer short, manageable programs with day and evening classes to fit your busy schedule.

• 

  American Career College

  American Career College (ACC) offers hands-on training that will prepare students for careers in the healthcare industry at three campuses in Los Angeles, Ontario, and Orange County, California. ACC“s programs combine classroom lectures and hands-on training to prepare students for a Diploma or Associate of Occupational Science degree. All ACC programs include access to trained faculty, a full student services department committed to helping students succeed, and career guidance and services after graduation. ACC is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools; some programs also hold programmatic accreditation or approvals.

  Programs vary by campus. Program lengths vary by session and schedule. Financial aid available to those who qualify. ACC cannot guarantee employment. American Career College is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

• 

  Platt College

  Find out where the future can take you with an outstanding college education. At Platt College, you’ll find the career-specific programs and training for the careers you really want. Come explore a variety of career paths that fit your lifestyle in a positive learning environment that combines real-world experience with small, private college instruction.

• 

  Carrington College

  Carrington College®, a recognized leader in private education, opened in 1976 and currently provides practical, real-world education to more than 4,000 students annually. Carrington College® offers small classes with hands-on learning taught by experienced faculty.

• 

  American Institute College of Health Professions

  A career in Respiratory Therapy is an excellent career choice for people who want a career in the growing field of healthcare and prefer a fast paced diversified environment.

  American Institute College of Health Professions offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree using a blended online format that includes a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities as well as on-ground laboratory and clinical experiences.

  Our Associate of Applied Science Degree in Respiratory Therapy program is 80 weeks in length (20 months) and focuses on the acquisition of the knowledge, skills and behaviors suitable to obtain an entry-level position in Respiratory Therapy.

• 

  Carrington College California

  Now you can earn your associate degree and can get started in the career field you’ve always dreamed of more conveniently than ever by attending the online Campus of Carrington College California. Considered a leader in education, Carrington College California has a long history of helping students succeed in real world careers.

• 

  Kaplan Career Institute

  At Kaplan Career Institute, we provide affordable, career-focused programs that not only meet the demands of the market, but also the demands of your busy life. We offer day and evening classes to accommodate your busy schedule. Our accelerated curricula give you the opportunity to earn a diploma in as little as 9 to 15 months or an associate’s degree in less than 2 years. Our instructors have professional experience and provide an inside look into some of today’s hottest careers.

  Kaplan Higher Education or its authorized agents and representatives may contact me via email or telephone to discuss these and other educational opportunities in the future.

• 

  YTI Career Institute

  Why YTI Career Institute? We offer fast and affordable hands-on training that will prepare you for a rewarding career in the fields of trades and technical, computer, medical, business, criminal justice or culinary arts. At YTI Career Institute, getting the training you need to succeed doesn’t have to take four years of your life. With our accelerated programs, we make it possible for you to be career-ready in as few as 12 months*.

  *Program lengths vary.

• 

  Kaplan College

  A college education is important in today’s workforce. Kaplan College gives you the right mix of professional experience and classroom instruction in our accelerated programs to help you succeed in your new career!

  Kaplan College can help you train for a new career with diploma programs ranging in just a few months.. Take advantage of all the benefits Kaplan College offers today!

  Kaplan College is pleased to offer discounts on tuition for qualifying active military personnel, veterans and military spouses. Please ask for more information on these discount opportunities.

  Kaplan Higher Education or its authorized agents and representatives may contact me via email or telephone to discuss these and other educational opportunities in the future.

• 

  New England Institute of Technology

  New England Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit, co-educational technical college offering over 30 Associate in Science, Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree programs. As a leader in Technical Career Education in southern New England, New England Tech is committed to providing hands-on technological programs that prepare graduates for positions of leadership in the technical, industrial, business, and allied health communities. Most of our associate degree programs can be completed in as little as 18 months, and bachelor’s degree programs in as little as three years. Every year over 2,000 students choose New England Tech for the hands-on laboratory and classroom training that provides the necessary skills to begin their technical careers.