What Do Respiratory Therapy Technician Do?
Job Description & Duties Provide respiratory care under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.
Life As a Respiratory Therapy Technician: What Do They Do?
- Assess patients’ response to treatments and modify treatments according to protocol if necessary.
- Keep records of patients’ therapy, completing all necessary forms.
- Teach patients how to use respiratory equipment at home.
- 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.
- Administer breathing or oxygen procedures, such as intermittent positive pressure breathing treatments, ultrasonic nebulizer treatments, or incentive spirometer treatments.
- Follow and enforce safety rules applying to equipment.
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What a Respiratory Therapy Technician Should Know
Respiratory Therapy Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Types of Respiratory Therapy Technician
- Respiratory Supervisor
- Life Support Technician
- Respiratory Therapy Technician (RTT)
- Medical Technician
- Oxygen Equipment Technician
Is There Job Demand 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.
Respiratory Therapy Technician Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Respiratory Therapy Technician ranges between $31,240 and $73,530.

Respiratory Therapy Technicians who work in Nevada, New Jersey, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Respiratory Therapy Technicians make 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?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Respiratory Therapy Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
Becoming a Respiratory Therapy Technician
Learn what Respiratory Therapy Technician education requirements there are.

What work experience do I need to become a Respiratory Therapy Technician?

Who Employs Respiratory Therapy Technicians?

The table below shows the approximate number of Respiratory Therapy Technicians employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
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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