A Career in Respiratory Care: Making a Difference
Registered Respiratory Therapists evaluate, treat, and care for patients with impaired lung and heart function. Patients with breathing disorders and other cardiopulmonary disorders range in age from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to children/adults with asthma and older adults experiencing chronic lung and heart diseases such as emphysema, COPD, and congestive heart failure.
The program prepares graduates to work in a variety of seeing which include pediatric and adult hospitals, rehabilitation centers, physician practices, home care and medical care companies, ground and air ambulance services, pulmonary function laboratories, and sleep study centers. The Respiratory Therapy program will provide each graduate with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to potentially make a difference in the lives of patients seeking treatment.
Growing Demand for Respiratory Therapists
The respiratory therapy profession is experiencing a much faster than average projected growth. Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the profession will grow 13 percent from 2023 to 2033. In May 2023, the median salary was $77,960. The following industries employ the largest number of respiratory therapists, and their annual median salaries were:
- Hospitals $78,300
- Physician Practices $77,580
- Skilled Nursing Facilities $73,390