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Respiratory Therapists Therapists In Demand

General Information

Description

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.

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Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

  1. Private, for profit58.99%
  2. Private, not for profit31.61%
  3. State and local government6.05%
  4. Federal government2.74%
  5. Self-employed0.61%

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Industry areas

  • Health Science

Job Outlook

Projected Job Growth (2021 - 2031)
+14%
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Job Outlook

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Employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 9,400 openings for respiratory therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

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Salary

Average Salary

Salary

$61,830

Military salary*

$61,628

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State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$95,540
$22,870
No Information for this section

Education & Interests

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • Associate's degree 82%
  • Bachelor's degree 11%
  • Post-secondary certificate 5%
  • High school 0%
  • Some college 0%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Less than high school 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

You may find this career fulfilling if you consider yourself to be:

  • Social — You have an interest in helping, teaching, advising, assisting or providing service to others.
  • Investigative — You have an interest in studying and researching objects, organisms, and other things.
  • Realistic — You have an interest in physically working with equipment, materials or structures.

Not sure what characteristics best describe you? Take the RIASEC Test.

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Psychology
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Education and Training
  • Computers and Electronics

Gain insights into your knowledge by using the ASVAB Career Exploration Program

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* Military pay may be higher based on specialty pays or bonuses. Learn more about Military benefits.

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.