Career
Respiratory therapists
Help people breathe.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then people & care?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
2 years of education after high school (associate's degree), for a median of $82,280 a year and 8,600 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Allied Health ProfessionsSee the degree →
- Respiratory Care Therapy/TherapistCIP 51.0908
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,310 · +3.7%
- Paramedics$60,600 · +5.7%
- Acute Care Nurses
- Radiation Therapists$105,310 · +2.8%
- Critical Care Nurses
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.