ICU & emergency
Respiratory Therapist
The person they page when someone stops breathing.
Typical pay
$60k-$95k
How you get in
2-year associate plus the NBRC credential
Outlook
Strong; chronic shortage since the pandemic
Average openings
56/100Fewer openings per worker than the average job, and the field is growing.
JobPOVs index, calculated from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025-2035 for Respiratory therapists. It measures how many openings arise each year relative to the size of the field — not how many people apply. BLS does not publish a saturation figure.
Respiratory therapists manage ventilators, airways and breathing treatments across the hospital. Two years of school puts you in the ICU during the worst moments, with real clinical autonomy.
A day in the life
6:45a – 6:00p · 11 hours 15 min
- 6:45aShift report, review vent settings across the unit
- 7:30aMorning treatments and blood gas draws
- 9:30aRounds with the ICU team, adjust ventilator support
- 12:00pLunch, interrupted by a rapid response
- 1:00pIntubation assist in the ED
- 6:00pWean a patient off the vent, chart everything
How to get in
Associate degree
Duration
2 years
Cost
$8,000-$30,000
Credential
Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) via the NBRC
- Complete a CoARC-accredited respiratory therapy program
- Finish clinical rotations across ICU, ED and floors
- Pass the NBRC exams for the RRT credential
- Get state licensed and start, often on nights
Bachelor's degree
Duration
4 years
Cost
$40,000-$120,000
Credential
BS plus RRT
- Complete a four-year respiratory care program
- Earn the same RRT credential
- Enter with a faster path to management, education or research
- Not required for bedside work — the associate is the standard
Add specialty credentials
Duration
Ongoing after the RRT
Cost
$300-$2,000 per credential
Credential
NPS, ACCS or RRT-SDS specialty certifications
- Work as an RRT and build clinical hours
- Add neonatal-pediatric or adult critical care specialty credentials
- Move into NICU, transport or sleep medicine
- Specialty pay is the main way past the salary plateau
What people love
- · Two-year degree into critical care
- · Real clinical autonomy and respect
- · Three-day work weeks are common
- · Every hospital needs them
What wears people down
- · Codes and deaths are routine
- · Nights, weekends and holidays
- · Physically constant — you cover the whole building
- · Pay plateaus without moving into management