These days, many people have become interested in entering the medical field of respiratory therapy. Those who have actually decided to become a respiratory therapist will be really pleased to learn that there are excellent career opportunities in this profession, and the average respiratory therapist salary happens to be quite lucrative.
Those who choose to practice as a respiratory therapist, will get to assist medics heal patients and be compassionate to patients who are looking up to them. Additionally, respiratory therapists will also get the chance to earn the love, respect and trust of the patients they treat. While this will be enough to grant respiratory therapists a sense of satisfaction, however, these therapists also get to earn quite a lucrative salary. While most people join this profession in order to serve ailing and unwell patients, however, the high payouts are equally tempting as well.
What Do Respiratory Therapists Do?
Respiratory therapists are often described using the term “respiratory care practitioners.” The job respiratory therapists are expected to do is quite particular and a very specific set of responsibilities fall on their shoulders. Assisting the physician to diagnose, manage and treat the patients who have some pulmonary disease or disorder is the main duty of a respiratory practitioner or therapist. Another responsibility of respiratory therapists is to collect breath, blood and sputum specimens from patients and analyze them. This allows them to determine the levels of carbon dioxide, oxygen and other gases in these specimens. These therapists are also responsible for finding out if a patient is suffering from a breathing impairment, and so they might even measure the lung capacity of a patient.
People both young and old can suffer from breathing problems. These therapists also help restore the natural breathing function in patients, enabling air to flow freely to their lungs and helping them breathe on their own again. Breathing problems can turn out to be fatal, which is the reason that the role of a respiratory therapist is crucial, and this is why the average salary of a respiratory therapist is quite good.
Respiratory therapists also help to diagnose the respiratory problem a patient might be suffering from and also help in delivering the relevant treatment. Thus, evaluating, treating and caring for patients are the three major responsibilities of respiratory therapists. No doubt, a physician supervises and assists a respiratory therapist; however, a physician will also consult the therapist as well because they significantly value the experience of the respiratory therapist.
Job Opportunities and Respiratory Therapist Salary
Many people seem to be curious how much they can earn if they actually enter this profession. As per the National Salary Statistics, $17 to $31 is the average hourly rate charged by respiratory therapists. Respiratory therapists who wish to do extra work can earn another $20 to $48 per hour. Respiratory therapists who do a great job are even offered a bonus from $51 to $4,884.
Thus, it is apparent why this profession is so profitable. So, on an annual basis, respiratory therapists can earn anywhere from $35,350 to $68,130.
What are the Factors that a Respiratory Therapist’s Salary Depends On?
The average salary that can be earned by a respiratory therapist depends on a variety of factors. The industry they are employed in is one of these factors, while there are a lot more.
- Respiratory therapists can earn from $17 to $31 per hour if they are working in the healthcare industry.
- Respiratory therapists can earn from $17 to $32 per hour if they are working in a hospital.
- Respiratory therapists can earn from $17 to $33 per hour if they are working in an acute care hospital.
- Respiratory therapists can earn from $16 to $31 per hour if they are working in the medical services.
- Respiratory therapists can earn from $17 to $31 per hour if they are working in the long-term/rehab care facilities.
The respiratory therapist salary is also determined based on a couple of other factors as well. For instance, respiratory therapists can earn more or less depending on the city they are working in. They can earn more if they are working in a facility in a big city, while they might earn a lesser income if they are working in one of the smaller US towns.
According to statistics, a maximum salary can be earned by respiratory therapists if they opt to work in the state of California. Even the top three cities, namely Sacramento, San Francisco and San Jose, where respiratory therapists can earn the highest salary are also located in California too. Washington, DC is another US state where respiratory therapists can earn a really handsome salary.
The salary of a respiratory therapist is also decided by another significantly important factor, i.e. the academic background of the therapist. Having an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is a requirement for those who want to begin working as a respiratory therapist. They must also clear the professional exam or the RRT before they start working. By acquiring the degree and passing the exam, they will then be recognized as Registered Respiratory Therapists. This is when they can begin seeking potential jobs.
As for those who want to earn a much higher salary, then they should continue pursuing higher education. Respiratory therapists will increase their potential of earning by acquiring further qualifications. The respiratory therapy field continues changing and those who have decided to enter this field should keep themselves updated. So, if working therapists continue going for an advanced or updated course every 5 years, they will increase their chances of earn an even higher salary.
Last but not least, the more experience therapist’s gain the more salary they will earn. Overall, the respiratory therapist salary range is really lucrative and this is one of the reasons that draw in people to this profession.
