All About Respiratory Therapy Technicians
Respiratory Therapy Technician Definition Provide respiratory care under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.
Life As a Respiratory Therapy Technician: What Do They Do?
- Recommend or review bedside procedures, x-rays, or laboratory tests.
- Monitor patients during treatment and report any unusual reactions to the respiratory therapist.
- Work with patients in areas such as the emergency rooms, neonatal or pediatric intensive care, or surgical intensive care, treating conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, cystic fibrosis, or pneumonia.
- Explain treatment procedures to patients.
- Perform diagnostic procedures to assess the severity of respiratory dysfunction in patients.
- Collect and analyze arterial blood gas samples.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Respiratory Therapy Technician?
These are the skills Respiratory Therapy Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related Job Titles
- Respiratory Therapy Technologist
- Pulmonary Function Technician (PF Technician)
- Registered Respiratory Technician
- Oxygen Equipment Technician
- Respiratory Therapist Assistant
Job Outlook for Respiratory Therapy Technicians
There were about 10,800 jobs for Respiratory Therapy Technician in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Respiratory Therapy Technician.

The states with the most job growth for Respiratory Therapy Technician are Maryland, Texas, and Nebraska. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Illinois, or Indiana. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Respiratory Therapy Technicians Make A Lot Of Money?
The salary for Respiratory Therapy Technicians ranges between about $31,240 and $73,530 a year.

Respiratory Therapy Technicians who work in Nevada, New Jersey, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Respiratory Therapy Technicians in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $41,740 |
Arizona | $58,900 |
Arkansas | $47,050 |
California | $48,150 |
Colorado | $42,070 |
Connecticut | $54,680 |
Florida | $49,670 |
Georgia | $48,160 |
Hawaii | $58,770 |
Illinois | $56,340 |
Indiana | $49,780 |
Iowa | $44,690 |
Kansas | $45,390 |
Kentucky | $42,850 |
Louisiana | $49,010 |
Maryland | $61,220 |
Massachusetts | $60,060 |
Michigan | $38,420 |
Mississippi | $45,730 |
Missouri | $53,470 |
Nebraska | $46,820 |
Nevada | $78,380 |
New Hampshire | $51,850 |
New Jersey | $64,260 |
New York | $56,780 |
Ohio | $46,980 |
Oregon | $55,270 |
Pennsylvania | $47,430 |
South Carolina | $49,520 |
Tennessee | $40,560 |
Texas | $51,930 |
Utah | $49,680 |
Virginia | $52,830 |
Washington | $58,190 |
West Virginia | $51,700 |
Wisconsin | $37,290 |
What Tools & Technology do Respiratory Therapy Technicians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Respiratory Therapy Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
How to Become a Respiratory Therapy Technician
Are there Respiratory Therapy Technicians education requirements?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Respiratory Therapy Technicians Are Employed

Below are examples of industries where Respiratory Therapy Technicians work:

Similar Careers
Those who work as a Respiratory Therapy Technician sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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