Certified Respiratory Therapist is one who assists in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with pulmonary disorders. The CRT certification is the entry-level certification in the respiratory care field. We have also provided in depth knowledge regarding medical school for better understanding, don’t forget to checkout that.
Certified Respiratory Therapist: Major Factors
Education:
2-years Associate degree at minimum or 4-years Bachelor’s Degree (preferred)
Certification:
Therapist Multiple Choice/TMC examination taken by the National Board for Respiratory Care helps graduates earn the Certified Respiratory Therapist credential.
Licensing:
All states except Alaska and Hawaii need you to be licensed in your home state. You can find the state licensure contacts on the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) Website.
Salary:
Salaries for CRTs vary widely and depend on several factors like education & certifications, additional skills & the number of years spent in the field.
As of April 27, 2020, the average of a Certified Respiratory Therapist salary in the United States stands at $63,927. The range of minimum and maximum salary usually falls between $56,945 and $69,941. The top 10% earn more than $80,000 annually.
Respiratory Therapist Degree
A Bachelor’s degree lets students diversify their career options unlike an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in Respiratory Care
Factors to consider by future respiratory therapist students:
1. Accreditation
The program you opt for must be accredited for by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. It is a prerequisite for licensure in the home state.
The National Board of Respiratory Care requires CRTs to earn a minimum of 62 semester hours of college credit from programs accredited by an agency that is recognized by the Council for Higher Education or by the U.S Department of Education.
Before enrollment, students must check with the respiratory care board in their home state to make sure the college program they pick is properly accredited.
2. Tuition Cost
The American College Tuition tends to be expensive and incur huge student debt.
Average Tuition at Public 2-year colleges – $3,570 for the 2017-2018 academic year.
Average Tuition at Public 4-year colleges – $10,000 for the 2017-2018 academic year.
Average Tuition at Private Colleges – More than $34,000 per year
Understand the fee structure at your prospective school before making a long term commitment.
3. Respiratory Therapist Programs – Length
Bachelor’s programs typically take 4 years while most associate degrees take 2 years to complete. Accelerated degree programs, summer & winter sessions, and online classes can help students to shave some time and move ahead faster.
Respiratory care is a prospective field that is going to add more jobs in the coming years. With the present world situation, you can opt for many digital, hybrid programs to split time between online and on-campus study – whatever fits your learning style.
4. Certified Respiratory Therapist Jobs
It is very obvious that a certified therapist will earn more in compare to a non-certified one. If you want to pursue your education in this field there are plenty of respiratory therapist jobs available for you as the medical field is vast enough. It also gives you a scope of practice. For more details about the job profiles you can go to respiratory therapist jobs and find all your answers.
Respiratory Therapist Schools
With us, you could belong to one of the top best certified respiratory therapist schools in the country offering the most comprehensive respiratory care therapy degrees, that you might find to be right for yourself. Students considering enrolling in respiratory therapy programs can get in touch with us at onlineschoolsnearme.com for further details that help them make an informed decision.
