Healthcare Practitioners
Respiratory Therapists
Also called: CRRT (Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist), CRT (Certified Respiratory Therapist), Diagnostics RRT (Diagnostics Registered Respiratory Therapist), Infant RT (Infant Respiratory Therapist)
US median pay
$82,280
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+8.5%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
8,600
142,000 employed
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
- 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.
- Make emergency visits to resolve equipment problems.
- Determine requirements for treatment, such as type, method and duration of therapy, precautions to be taken, or medication and dosages, compatible with physicians' orders.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.9/5
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4/5
- Coordination3.2/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1/5
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Operation and Control3.1/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service4.7/5
- Medicine and Dentistry4.4/5
- Public Safety and Security4.2/5
- English Language4.0/5
- Psychology3.9/5
- Mechanical3.9/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Associate's degree.
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.