by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Respiratory Care Therapy covers Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist. A Program That Prepares Individuals, Under The Supervision Of Physicians, To Assist In Developing Respiratory Care Plans, Administer Respiratory Care Procedures, Supervise Personnel And Equipment Operation, Maintain Records, And Consult With Other Health Care Team Members. Includes Instruction In The Applied Basic Biomedical Sciences; Anatomy, Physiology, And Pathology Of The Respiratory System; Clinical Medicine; Therapeutic Procedures; Clinical Expressions; Data Collection And Record-Keeping; Patient Communication; Equipment Operation And Maintenance; Personnel Supervision; And Procedures For Special Population Groups. Continue reading for the key facts every respiratory care therapy student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering respiratory care therapy programs.
Across the country, respiratory care therapy is a popular field of study, with 6,686 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Respiratory Care Therapy Schools ranking analyzes these 382 schools to determine the best overall colleges for respiratory care therapy students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of respiratory care therapy programs later in this article.
Coursework for Respiratory Care Therapy build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations respiratory care therapy graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a respiratory care therapy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a respiratory care therapy major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several respiratory care therapy degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 113 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 4,918 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,428 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 227 |
People currently working in careers related to respiratory care therapy tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 35.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 15.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 14.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 13.6% |
| Master’s degree | 9.7% |
| Some college courses | 5.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 2.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.9% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in respiratory care therapy careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in respiratory care therapy can lead to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to respiratory care therapy.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to respiratory care therapy.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Respiratory Therapists | 3,611,748 | 4.8% |
| Patient Representatives | 3,368,169 | 4.8% |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | 3,206,816 | 12.2% |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technologists | 2,908,248 | 9.4% |
| Neurodiagnostic Technologists | 1,852,560 | 14.1% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of respiratory care therapy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $67,845 |
| 4 years | $61,295 |
| 5 years | $69,015 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for respiratory care therapy graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers respiratory care therapy grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $153,940 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technologists | $153,819 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $128,345 |
| Neurodiagnostic Technologists | $81,316 |
| Patient Representatives | $47,419 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 382 different respiratory care therapy programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased respiratory care therapy school rankings to help you.
Those considering respiratory care therapy, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
