CFChooseField
Healthcare

Respiratory Therapists

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.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Respiratory Therapists
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Median pay

$80,450
Median annual pay for Respiratory Therapists.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

12.1%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

8,800
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

139,600
Estimated U.S. employment for Respiratory Therapists in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

+16,800
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

Associate's degree
Typical education needed to enter Respiratory Therapists.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Listening
  2. 2Critical Thinking
  3. 3Monitoring
  4. 4Speaking
  5. 5Active Learning
  6. 6Reading Comprehension

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Customer and Personal Service
  2. 2Medicine and Dentistry
  3. 3English Language
  4. 4Education and Training
  5. 5Psychology
  6. 6Biology

Abilities

  1. 1Inductive Reasoning
  2. 2Oral Expression
  3. 3Problem Sensitivity
  4. 4Deductive Reasoning
  5. 5Information Ordering
  6. 6Oral Comprehension

Career interests

  1. 1Realistic
  2. 2Social
  3. 3Investigative
  4. 4Conventional
  5. 5Enterprising
  6. 6Artistic

Work styles

  1. 1Attention to Detail
  2. 2Dependability
  3. 3Stress Tolerance
  4. 4Cooperation
  5. 5Self-Control
  6. 6Empathy

Work activities

  1. 1Documenting/Recording Information
  2. 2Assisting and Caring for Others
  3. 3Getting Information
  4. 4Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
  5. 5Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  6. 6Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Work context

  1. 1Telephone Conversations
  2. 2Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  3. 3Exposed to Disease or Infections
  4. 4Contact With Others
  5. 5Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  6. 6Physical Proximity

Representative tasks

  • Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
  • 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.
  • Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
  • 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.
  • Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
  • Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
  • Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.

Software and tools

eClinicalWorks EHR software · hot technologyMEDITECH software · hot technologyMicrosoft Excel · hot technologyMicrosoft Office software · hot technologyMicrosoft Outlook · hot technologyMicrosoft PowerPoint · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologyDatabase softwareElectronic medical record EMR softwareHMS

The short answer

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.

The measurable national baseline is $80,450 median annual pay, 12.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034, and 8,800 projected openings per year. Use these figures as a national benchmark rather than a personal forecast; location, experience, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours can change individual outcomes.

Pay and the size of the opportunity

The national median-pay figure for Respiratory Therapists is $80,450. Current employment is 139,600, with projected 2034 employment of 156,400. Pay describes the middle worker nationally, not a guaranteed starting salary, and the employment totals describe the occupation's scale rather than the number of jobs available to one applicant.

Demand, growth, and annual openings

BLS projects 12.1% employment growth for Respiratory Therapists from 2024 to 2034 and about 8,800 openings per year. Growth measures whether the occupation is expanding, while annual openings also include replacement needs created when workers retire, change occupations, or leave the labor force.

Education and preparation

The typical BLS entry-education category is Associate's degree. Related work experience is None, and the listed on-the-job training category is None. These categories summarize a national pathway; licensing, certification, portfolios, apprenticeships, or local employer requirements may add to it.

What the work involves

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.

A representative O*NET task is: Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The broader activity profile emphasizes Documenting/Recording Information, Assisting and Caring for Others, Getting Information.

Skills, knowledge, and tools

The strongest available O*NET skill signals are Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring. Leading knowledge areas are Customer and Personal Service, Medicine and Dentistry, English Language. These are national occupational signals, so a specific employer may emphasize a different mix. Examples of software or tools associated with the occupation include eClinicalWorks EHR software, MEDITECH software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software.

Common questions

What is the median pay for Respiratory Therapists?

The national median annual pay in the current dataset is $80,450. Actual pay varies by location, experience, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours.

Is demand growing for Respiratory Therapists?

BLS projects 12.1% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 and about 8,800 openings per year. Openings include both newly created positions and replacement demand.

What education is needed for Respiratory Therapists?

The typical BLS entry-education category is Associate's degree. Related experience, on-the-job training, licensing, or certification requirements may also apply.

What does Respiratory Therapists involve?

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.

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

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