How To Become A Pulmonary Function Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is a pulmonary function technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

The primary duty of a pulmonary function technician is to conduct tests on patients who have possible respiratory disorders or diseases. Their role is essential in providing an accurate diagnosis of the patient's illness, which leads to proper and timely treatment.

Aside from conducting various tests, a pulmonary function technician also coordinates with other health care providers to diagnose and recommend the appropriate treatment. They may also be responsible for implementing respiratory therapies, educating patients on using equipment and medications, and providing assistance in respiratory emergencies.

An aspiring pulmonary function technician needs to have a bachelor's or associate's degree in medical technology, respiratory therapy, or another relevant field. Depending on the state, one may also need to obtain a license before practicing as a pulmonary function technician.

A pulmonary function technician typically works in a laboratory or a respiratory care unit. On average, they make around $30 an hour or roughly $63,000 per year.

ScorePulmonary Function TechnicianUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $50,458

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.1

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.91%

Asian 13.87%

Black or African American 10.58%

Hispanic or Latino 12.77%

Unknown 3.28%

White 58.58%

Gender

female 48.05%

male 51.95%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a pulmonary function technician

Explore pulmonary function technician education requirements

Most common pulmonary function technician degrees

Associate

44.2 %

Bachelor's

43.3 %

Master's

3.6 %

Start to develop specific pulmonary function technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	24.50%
Respiratory Care	10.82%
Patient Care	9.76%
Spirometry	8.01%
Respiratory Therapy	5.59%

Complete relevant pulmonary function technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pulmonary function technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a pulmonary function technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pulmonary function technician resumes.

Gain additional pulmonary function technician certifications

Pulmonary function technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific pulmonary function technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for pulmonary function technicians include Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) and Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS).

More About Certifications

Research pulmonary function technician duties and responsibilities

Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Perform arterial blood gas analysis, routine spirometry, DLCO, and lung volume test.
Monitor client's heart rate while exercising on EKG.
Perform, monitor, record and interpret electrocardiogram tests.

Prepare your pulmonary function technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pulmonary function technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a pulmonary function technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable pulmonary function technician resume templates

Build a professional pulmonary function technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your pulmonary function technician resume.