What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Respiratory Therapists in the U.S. earn more than $82,280 a year — the middle 80% land between $63,660 and $118,050. About 139,790 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Respiratory Therapists”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$82,280typical pay / year
139,790people in this work
$118,050+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing6
Administer inhalants and medications
+Administer ordered nebulizer and metered‑dose inhaler treatments to Mrs. Alvarez on 3 East, verify drug, dose…
Administer inhalants and medications
+Administer ordered nebulizer and metered‑dose inhaler treatments to Mrs. Alvarez on 3 East, verify drug, dose and allergy list, document pre/post breath sounds and peak flow, and notify Dr. Patel immediately if no improvement within 20 minutes.
The tools that do the workMechanical ventilatorsESCOjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
+Call Dr. Chen with Mr. Rivera's arterial blood gas and lactate results, state pH, PaCO2, PaO2 and HCO3…
Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
+Call Dr. Chen with Mr. Rivera's arterial blood gas and lactate results, state pH, PaCO2, PaO2 and HCO3 values, describe ventilator settings and recent changes, and ask whether to adjust FiO2 or tidal volume now.
The tools that do the workElectronic medical record EMRjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Perform pulmonary function tests
+Perform spirometry and diffusion capacity on Mrs. Nguyen in pulmonary clinic, coach maximal effort, record…
Perform pulmonary function tests
+Perform spirometry and diffusion capacity on Mrs. Nguyen in pulmonary clinic, coach maximal effort, record three acceptable blows, review tracings for reproducibility, and upload the interpreted report to the chart for Dr. Silva.
The tools that do the workeClinicalWorks EHRjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Aid in patients' respiratory treatment
+Provide bedside respiratory care for Mr. Thompson: review his oxygen need, titrate oxygen to target…
Aid in patients' respiratory treatment
+Provide bedside respiratory care for Mr. Thompson: review his oxygen need, titrate oxygen to target saturation 92–96%, teach incentive spirometry technique, document tolerance and any desaturation episodes, and notify the team of concerns.
The tools that do the workMEDITECHESCOjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Assist in critical care and emergency situations
+Respond to the ED code for Mrs. Alvarez: assess airway and breathing, prepare and hand the necessary airway…
Assist in critical care and emergency situations
+Respond to the ED code for Mrs. Alvarez: assess airway and breathing, prepare and hand the necessary airway kit, set up bag‑valve mask and suction, advise the team on ventilation rate, and record interventions and patient response.
The tools that do the workMechanical ventilatorsjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Insert tubes for airway management
+Perform orotracheal intubation for the deteriorating trauma patient if called by the team, confirm tube…
Insert tubes for airway management
+Perform orotracheal intubation for the deteriorating trauma patient if called by the team, confirm tube placement with end‑tidal CO2 and bilateral breath sounds, secure tube, set initial ventilator parameters, and document time and complications.
The tools that do the workMechanical ventilatorsjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work14
Medical terminology
+Write a two-page quick-reference for the night shift defining common respiratory terms and abbreviations in…
Medical terminology
+Write a two-page quick-reference for the night shift defining common respiratory terms and abbreviations in plain language, include typical normal ranges where relevant, and highlight the three terms new graduates confuse most.
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Respiratory medicine
+Draft a one-page bedside respiratory assessment checklist for ventilator and non-ventilator patients that…
Respiratory medicine
+Draft a one-page bedside respiratory assessment checklist for ventilator and non-ventilator patients that lists inspection, auscultation, vital thresholds, suggested interventions for low oxygen or rising CO2, and space for initials and time.
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Operate heart-lung machines
+Run the heart–lung machine for Dr. Patel's scheduled CABG at 07:30, confirm pump prime, set flow and…
Operate heart-lung machines
+Run the heart–lung machine for Dr. Patel's scheduled CABG at 07:30, confirm pump prime, set flow and temperature targets to the surgeon's orders, monitor ACT and arterial line every 15 minutes, and hand off to ICU at transfer with checklist complete.
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Apply health sciences
+Review Ms. Ramos's physiology and labs, calculate oxygen delivery and ventilation needs for her COPD…
Apply health sciences
+Review Ms. Ramos's physiology and labs, calculate oxygen delivery and ventilation needs for her COPD exacerbation, write the treatment rationale for the care team, and hand the plan to the pulmonologist by noon.
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Respiratory therapy
+Assess Mr. Nguyen at 06:30, perform arterial blood gas and bedside spirometry, titrate his ventilator…
Respiratory therapy
+Assess Mr. Nguyen at 06:30, perform arterial blood gas and bedside spirometry, titrate his ventilator settings to target pH 7.35–7.45 and SpO2 92–96%, document changes and notify the ICU fellow if he fails two adjustments.
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Human anatomy
+Teach the night nurses the respiratory anatomy relevant to emergency airway: demonstrate landmarks for…
Human anatomy
+Teach the night nurses the respiratory anatomy relevant to emergency airway: demonstrate landmarks for cricothyrotomy, describe diaphragm and accessory muscle function, and leave one-page summary at the nurses' station.
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Operate breathing equipment
+Check the operating room breathing circuits, verify alarm limits and cylinder pressures, run a leak and…
Operate breathing equipment
+Check the operating room breathing circuits, verify alarm limits and cylinder pressures, run a leak and compliance test on each ventilator before the first case, and log results on the equipment checklist.
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Ensure safety of healthcare users
+Audit discharge plans for three high-risk respiratory patients, confirm follow-up appointments, inhaler…
Ensure safety of healthcare users
+Audit discharge plans for three high-risk respiratory patients, confirm follow-up appointments, inhaler prescriptions and home oxygen orders, escalate any missing elements to the case manager today to avoid readmission risk.
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Collaborate with healthcare team on patient care
+Join the ICU team for morning rounds to review Mr. Alvarez on 5B, present current ventilator settings, ABG…
Collaborate with healthcare team on patient care
+Join the ICU team for morning rounds to review Mr. Alvarez on 5B, present current ventilator settings, ABG trends, secretion burden and proposed weaning steps, agree responsibilities and document the plan before noon.
The tools that do the workElectronic medical record EMRO*NETWikipedia
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Participate in critical care transport
+Lead the critical care transport briefing for Mrs. Patel leaving at 14:00, confirm airway devices, portable…
Participate in critical care transport
+Lead the critical care transport briefing for Mrs. Patel leaving at 14:00, confirm airway devices, portable ventilator settings, backup oxygen, sedation plan, handoff notes and receiving team contact, then sign the transport checklist.
The tools that do the workMechanical ventilatorsElectronic medical record EMRjob descriptionsO*NET
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Assess and monitor breathing
+Perform a bedside respiratory assessment on Mr. Green: measure respiratory rate, SpO2, auscultate lungs,…
Assess and monitor breathing
+Perform a bedside respiratory assessment on Mr. Green: measure respiratory rate, SpO2, auscultate lungs, check work of breathing and accessory muscle use, perform peak flow and document findings and expected monitoring frequency.
The tools that do the workMechanical ventilatorsjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
+Explain the bronchoscopy prep and suctioning steps to Ms. Nguyen, describe sensations she may feel, risks and…
Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
+Explain the bronchoscopy prep and suctioning steps to Ms. Nguyen, describe sensations she may feel, risks and benefits, expected timeline and how we will keep her comfortable, then obtain her verbal agreement and note it in the chart.
The tools that do the workElectronic medical record EMRO*NET
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Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
+Review Dr. Chen's new ventilator orders for Mr. Robinson, check tubing, alarms and humidification, correct…
Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.
+Review Dr. Chen's new ventilator orders for Mr. Robinson, check tubing, alarms and humidification, correct any discrepancies, coach the bedside nurse on changes, and log completion in the patient record before shift end.
The tools that do the workElectronic medical record EMRMechanical ventilatorsO*NET
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Health care legislation
+Audit recent ward consent forms and policy updates for compliance with the new state regulations, flag any…
Health care legislation
+Audit recent ward consent forms and policy updates for compliance with the new state regulations, flag any gaps in documentation or staff signatures, produce a short report for the clinical manager by Friday afternoon.
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Says who?
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Activities this job lives in
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses