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Respiratory Therapists

Cares for patients who have trouble breathing, from premature babies to older adults.

Typical education to startAssociate's degree
Job outlook2025–2035: +9%
Median pay$82,280 a year (2025)
Interest codeRSI Realistic, Social, Investigative

Read the full guide

Respiratory therapists treat asthma, lung disease and emergencies, run ventilators in intensive care, and teach patients how to manage their breathing. Most work in hospitals.

Open the respiratory therapist guide

The guide checks the courses against your plan, with things to try each year. Free account needed.

High school courses that build toward it

Ranked by how much the job relies on what each course teaches, from O*NET's knowledge ratings. Your school's own courses and the counselor have the final word.

Respiratory Therapists on O*NET OnLine · O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections 2025.