Respiratory Therapy Schools

As a professor or instructor of respiratory therapy classes at one of the 442 accredited respiratory therapy schools in the country, you play a notable role in shaping the education, and, in effect, the future of this growing field. The following statistics and charts help analyze the current state of the respiratory therapy academic community and the future trends. Academia in respiratory therapy includes respiratory therapy training at the following levels:

  • Respiratory Therapy Certificate
  • Associates degree in Respiratory Therapy
  • Bachelors degree in Respiratory Therapy
  • Masters degree in Respiratory Therapy

Statistics

Professional Trends

National Employment growth for Respiratory therapy professionals

118,040 118,790 120,080 122,370 122,840
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
  • Dark Yellow: Actual Values

There were 122,840 respiratory therapy professionals working in the US in 2010. Between 2006 and 2010, the number of respiratory therapy professionals has grown by 4%.

This growth is faster than the growth for all careers during the same time period. There was a 1% decline for all careers. This trend is expected to continue over the next 7 years.

National Salary percentiles for Respiratory therapy professionals

10th percentile		 $34,810
25th percentile		 $41,440
50th percentile		 $49,745
75th percentile		 $59,500
90th percentile		 $69,670

Nationally, the median yearly salary earned by respiratory therapy professionals was $49,745 in 2010. This is 26% less than the national median salary for all professions, which was $68,155 per year.

National Median Salary Growth For Respiratory Therapy

$43,270 $45,330 $47,315 $49,015 $49,745
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
  • Light Blue: Salaries

Respiratory therapy professionals' salaries have seen a 15% growth from the year 2006 to the year 2010.

Educational Trends

National Respiratory Therapy Student enrollment growth by degree

5,650 6,040 6,515 6,691 7,179
476 605 702 776 851
0 0 0 0 0
0 6 6 10 6
203 227 315 320 471
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
  • Yellow: Associate's Degree in Respiratory Therapy
  • Blue: Bachelor's Degree in Respiratory Therapy
  • Red: Doctorates Degree in Respiratory Therapy
  • Light blue: Master's Degree in Respiratory Therapy
  • Grey: Certificate in Respiratory Therapy

The career outlook for respiratory therapy professionals is showing a rapid change. However, on the educational front, the story is quite different. In the year 2006 there were 6,329 students who graduated from respiratory therapy degree programs across the country, while in the year 2010, there were 8,507 students graduating from respiratory therapy schools.

This represents a 34% change in the number of graduates. This growth in the number of students graduating from respiratory therapy courses is greater than the change nationally for students graduating from institutions for higher education in general, which has been a 12% growth from 2006 to 2010.

Respiratory Therapy Programs offered Nationwide

associate		 358
bachelor		 51
master		 1
doctor		 0
Certificate		 36
Total446

It is interesting to note that while student graduation is up, the number of schools offering respiratory therapy programs has decreased. In 2006 there were 383 respiratory therapy schools across the nation, and in 2010, there were 442 schools.

Respiratory Therapy Faculty Salaries

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We are in the process of collecting data for the number of respiratory therapy faculty, growth in the field of respiratory therapy academia and respiratory therapy faculty salaries. We would appreciate your help. If you teach respiratory therapy courses to students at the certificate in respiratory therapy, associates degree in respiratory therapy, bachelors degree in respiratory therapy, and masters degree in respiratory therapy levels, please anonymously submit your information in the field below. By doing so, you will be helping us build a valuable database resource for the benefit of current and future respiratory therapy faculty. Once you submit your information, you will get a chance to see an overview of what we have learned thus far from you and your peers.

States

  1. Respiratory Therapy Schools in California34 Schools
  2. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Texas31 Schools
  3. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Florida24 Schools
  4. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Ohio22 Schools
  5. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Pennsylvania22 Schools
  6. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Georgia17 Schools
  7. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Missouri16 Schools
  8. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Illinois15 Schools
  9. Respiratory Therapy Schools in North Carolina15 Schools
  10. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Michigan15 Schools
  11. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Kentucky14 Schools
  12. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Indiana13 Schools
  13. Respiratory Therapy Schools in New Jersey13 Schools
  14. Respiratory Therapy Schools in New York12 Schools
  15. Respiratory Therapy Schools in West Virginia10 Schools
  16. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Arkansas10 Schools
  17. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Arizona9 Schools
  18. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Louisiana9 Schools
  19. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Mississippi9 Schools
  20. Respiratory Therapy Schools in South Carolina9 Schools
  21. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Tennessee9 Schools
  22. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Virginia8 Schools
  23. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Kansas8 Schools
  24. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Oklahoma8 Schools
  25. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Massachusetts8 Schools
  26. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Iowa7 Schools
  27. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Alabama7 Schools
  28. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Wisconsin7 Schools
  29. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Maryland7 Schools
  30. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Washington State5 Schools
  31. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Connecticut5 Schools
  32. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Minnesota5 Schools
  33. Respiratory Therapy Schools in New Mexico4 Schools
  34. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Colorado4 Schools
  35. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Oregon4 Schools
  36. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Nebraska4 Schools
  37. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Idaho3 Schools
  38. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Nevada3 Schools
  39. Respiratory Therapy Schools in North Dakota2 Schools
  40. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Maine2 Schools
  41. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Delaware2 Schools
  42. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Montana2 Schools
  43. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Utah2 Schools
  44. Respiratory Therapy Schools in New Hampshire1 Schools
  45. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Vermont1 Schools
  46. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Wyoming1 Schools
  47. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Rhode Island1 Schools
  48. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Washington DC1 Schools
  49. Respiratory Therapy Schools in South Dakota1 Schools
  50. Respiratory Therapy Schools in Hawaii1 Schools

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