Respiratory Therapy Tech Training and Jobs
Schools and Degrees
The minimum requirement to become a respiratory therapy technician is an associate’s degree. Career colleges, technical schools and two or four-year colleges offer such degrees. Depending on the program, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is given. According to the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 45 entry-level and 334 advanced respiratory therapy programs were accredited in the United States in 2006. The areas of study are human anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, pharmacology and mathematics.
Training and Education
Workers often find employers are looking for an associate degree. Employees, in 16% of cases, have bachelor's degree or higher. After high school, 57% of respiratory therapy techs pursued some additional career education. Workers, in 27% of cases, had only a high school education.
Job Overview
Respiratory therapy technicians evaluate, treat and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. Respiratory therapy technicians treat all types of patients including infants whose lungs are not fully developed and elderly people whose lungs may be diseased. They also provide care during emergencies. Respiratory therapy technicians follow specific, well-defined respiratory care procedures under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.
Job Requirements
Respiratory therapy technicians are required to have a license in order to practice, except in Alaska and Hawaii. Employers mostly require therapy technicians to have a cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification. Licensure is usually based on the requirements for certification from the National Board for Respiratory Care. Therapy technicians should be sensitive to a patient’s physical and psychological needs. Respiratory care practitioners must pay attention to details, follow instructions and work as part of a team. Expertise in computers is also required for operating advanced equipment. High school students should take courses in health, biology, mathematics, chemistry and physics if they are interested in applying to respiratory therapy technician programs. Respiratory care involves basic mathematical skills and an understanding of chemical and physical principles.
Nature of Work
Respiratory therapy technicians provide temporary relief to patients with chronic asthma or emphysema. They provide emergency care to patients who are victims of a heart attack, stroke, drowning or shock. Therapy technicians interview patients, perform limited physical examinations, conduct diagnostic tests and then communicate results to a physician, who then treat patients accordingly.
They generally work for 35-40 hours a week. They may need to work on evenings, nights or weekends in hospitals. They may have to stand and walk for long periods at a time. During an emergency, they have to work under pressure. Those who work at home and at health care centers may need to travel frequently to patient’s homes. Respiratory therapy technicians are trained to work with gases stored under pressure, so they should always keep safety precautions in mind and regularly test and maintain equipment to minimize risks. They are also exposed to infectious diseases.
Area Job Conditions
Employees -of-a-feather seem to flock to Kankakee (Illinois), Boise (Idaho), and Florence (South Carolina). They are less likely to be found around Minneapolis (Minnesota), Santa Ana (California), and San Diego (California).
Compensation of respiratory therapy techs is best in Bethesda (Maryland), Las Vegas (Nevada), and Camden (New Jersey), and much worse in Phoenix (Arizona), Amarillo (Texas), and Little Rock (Arkansas).
Part-Time and Self Employment
Respiratory therapy techs employed part-time are 21% of the total.
Career Videos
Respiratory Therapy Techs by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)
In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.
Alabama
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $38,000 | 150 | +404% |
| Decatur | $33,000 | 40 | +1297% |
| Montgomery | $39,000 | 50 | +426% |
Arizona
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $42,000 | 100 | -7% |
Arkansas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | $43,000 | 40 | +234% |
| Little Rock | $40,000 | 150 | +623% |
California
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $50,000 | 130 | -47% |
| Riverside | $54,000 | 90 | +23% |
| Santa Ana | $63,000 | 90 | +1% |
| Stockton | $58,000 | 30 | +143% |
District of Columbia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $61,000 | 80 | -46% |
Florida
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $46,000 | 140 | +231% |
| Jacksonville | $46,000 | 60 | +65% |
| Miami | $48,000 | 320 | +436% |
| Orlando | $45,000 | 140 | +126% |
| Sarasota | $43,000 | 40 | +174% |
| Tampa | $48,000 | 200 | +187% |
| West Palm Beach | $47,000 | 110 | +251% |
Georgia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $47,000 | 370 | +162% |
Hawaii
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | $60,000 | 40 | +51% |
Illinois
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $46,000 | 240 | +4% |
Indiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | $49,000 | 160 | +194% |
Iowa
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport | $43,000 | 50 | +357% |
Kentucky
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $47,000 | 60 | +63% |
Louisiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $42,000 | 30 | +34% |
| New Orleans | $46,000 | 150 | +368% |
| Shreveport | $47,000 | 80 | +661% |
Maryland
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $70,000 | 250 | +213% |
| Bethesda | $73,000 | 80 | +128% |
Massachusetts
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $53,000 | 60 | -44% |
| Springfield | $39,000 | 50 | +181% |
Michigan
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $44,000 | 40 | -2% |
| Warren | $49,000 | 100 | +52% |
Mississippi
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $37,000 | 50 | +232% |
Missouri
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $38,000 | 90 | +46% |
| St Louis | $41,000 | 180 | +121% |
Nebraska
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $48,000 | 140 | +392% |
Nevada
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | $71,000 | 190 | +268% |
New Jersey
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | $64,000 | 40 | +26% |
| Edison | $59,000 | 70 | +12% |
| Newark | $57,000 | 70 | +15% |
New Mexico
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 70 | +202% |
New York
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau | $59,000 | 70 | -9% |
| New York | $60,000 | 310 | -3% |
North Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $37,000 | 50 | -4% |
Ohio
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $41,000 | 130 | +110% |
| Cleveland | $44,000 | 70 | +12% |
| Columbus | $44,000 | 30 | -47% |
Oklahoma
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $34,000 | 70 | +100% |
| Tulsa | $40,000 | 50 | +93% |
Pennsylvania
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | $51,000 | 50 | +140% |
| Harrisburg | $47,000 | 60 | +212% |
| Philadelphia | $61,000 | 230 | +97% |
| Pittsburgh | $40,000 | 110 | +57% |
Tennessee
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $39,000 | 130 | +247% |
| Nashville | $47,000 | 40 | -11% |
Texas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $48,000 | 130 | +172% |
| Corpus Christi | $41,000 | 50 | +378% |
| Dallas | $47,000 | 90 | -30% |
| Houston | $46,000 | 260 | +62% |
| San Antonio | $42,000 | 100 | +88% |
Washington
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $59,000 | 80 | -7% |
| Tacoma | $52,000 | 60 | +280% |