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How to hire a Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory therapist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring respiratory therapists in the United States:

  • There are currently 132,935 respiratory therapists in the US, as well as 33,980 job openings.
  • Respiratory therapists are in the highest demand in Aurora, CO, with 198 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a respiratory therapist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new respiratory therapist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a respiratory therapist, step by step

To hire a respiratory therapist, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a respiratory therapist:

Here's a step-by-step respiratory therapist hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a respiratory therapist job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new respiratory therapist
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Respiratory Therapist do?

A Respiratory Therapist is responsible for the healthcare of a patient's Cardiopulmonary system. A Respiratory Therapist specializes in assessing, recommending procedures or precautionary measures, and treating infections, diseases, and even viruses that can cause dysfunction to a patient's breathing. Most duties will depend on the workplace or the condition of a patient. However, they must have extensive expertise, passion, and presence of mind as they work with patients of all ages, and the daily tasks are vital and unpredictable.

Learn more about the specifics of what a respiratory therapist does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The respiratory therapist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine Employee vs Contractor Status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect respiratory therapist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    The following list breaks down different types of respiratory therapists and their corresponding salaries.

    Type Of Respiratory TherapistDescriptionHourly Rate
    Respiratory TherapistRespiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing—for example, from a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema. Their patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients who have diseased lungs... Show More$15-43
    Respiratory Care PractitionerA Respiratory Care Practitioner assesses and treats patients with pulmonary diseases. They diagnose lung and breathing disorders and recommend treatment methods.$14-47
    Staff TherapistA staff therapist is someone who assists in the treatment of patients using electrical stimulation, exercise, and other means of electrotherapy to regain their bodily functions. The core skills that a staff therapist should possess to accomplish their responsibilities include a keen eye for details and excellent mathematical and problem-solving skills... Show More$16-37
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common Skills:
    • Patients
    • Respiratory Care
    • BLS
    • RRT
    • Acls
    • Ventilation
    • Life Support
    • CPR
    • Critical Care
    • Pulmonary Function
    • NRP
    • Acute Care
    • Rehabilitation
    • Patient Education
    Check All Skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage ventilators through morning planning and protocols for trauma, ICU, and open heart unit.
    • Manage artificial airways, mechanically ventilate patients, pulmonary rehab patients and perform CPR in code situations.
    • Perform diagnostic procedures such as EEG, PFT, and Bronchoscopy.
    • Perform all aspects of respiratory care from intubation to ventilation, and medication delivery.
    • Provide critical care services including mechanical ventilation, pulmonary toilet, respiratory pharmacological medicine, overall respiratory evaluation and observation.
    • Attend and complete ACLS, BLS, and telemetry monitoring certification courses.
    More Respiratory Therapist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your respiratory therapist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A respiratory therapist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a respiratory therapist in Vermont may be lower than in California, and an entry-level respiratory therapist usually earns less than a senior-level respiratory therapist. Additionally, a respiratory therapist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average respiratory therapist salary

    $55,617yearly

    $26.74 hourly rate

    Entry-level respiratory therapist salary
    $33,000 yearly salary
    Updated March 21, 2025

    Average respiratory therapist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly Rate
    1California$76,431$37
    2New York$70,157$34
    3Nevada$68,755$33
    4Washington$64,929$31
    5Oregon$63,250$30
    6Maryland$61,024$29
    7Minnesota$57,843$28
    8Louisiana$56,914$27
    9Texas$56,412$27
    10Colorado$55,745$27
    11Illinois$55,740$27
    12North Carolina$54,989$26
    13Tennessee$54,892$26
    14Florida$54,751$26
    15Wisconsin$54,634$26
    16Oklahoma$54,550$26
    17Michigan$54,332$26
    18Georgia$54,254$26
    19Indiana$53,772$26
    20Kansas$53,276$26

    Average respiratory therapist salary by company

  4. Writing a Respiratory Therapist Job Description

    A respiratory therapist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a respiratory therapist job description:

    Respiratory Therapist job description example

    ***$15,000 SIGN-ON ELIGIBLE*** External candidates only. 1 year experience required.

    ***$10,000 SIGN-ON ELIGIBLE*** For New Grads

    Do you have a passion for healthcare and helping others? Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced, patient-centered environment? Jump-start your career in our respiratory department. Submit your application today!

    HCA Healthcare is dedicated to the growth and development of our colleagues. We will provide you the tools and resources you need to succeed in our organization. We are currently looking for an ambitious respiratory therapist to help us reach our goals. Unlock your potential here!

    We offer you an excellent total compensation package, including competitive salary, excellent benefit package and growth opportunities. We believe in our team and your ability to do excellent work with us. Your benefits include 401k, PTO medical, dental, vision, flex spending, life, disability, tuition reimbursement, employee discount program, employee stock purchase program.

    We would love to talk to you about this fantastic opportunity.

    Experience our commitment to compassion and care at HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital. Our 290-bed facility boasts many awards and accolades, particularly for our nationally acclaimed Heart Institute. Our dedication to patients is reflected in the ongoing recognition of our Centers of Excellence.


    Under general supervision, the RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist) will perform all respiratory care related duties. Set up and administer all routine and complex respiratory therapy procedures to patients of all ages. Responsible for the application and operation of acute care ventilators used for continuous short and long-term mechanical ventilation. Respiratory Therapists are expected to be self-directed in the absence of the full-time Team Leader. Maintain all department and hospital records and enter accurate information into the hospital computer for the therapy as given.
    • \t
    • \tCurrent Florida Registered Respiratory Therapist licensure. American Heart Association BLS health care provider required. ACLS , PALS and NRP within 6 months of hire.\t
    • \t
    • Graduate of Respiratory Care program accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).
    • \t
    • Frequent standing, bending, reaching, squatting, kneeling and moving equipment.
    • \t
    • Requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgment and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
    • \t
    • Must be able to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate actions in volatile situations.
    • \t
    • Customer service abilities including effective listening skills

    HCA Healthcare is a leading healthcare provider with over 31.2 million patient encounters a year at locations in 21 states including the UK. We care about our community! HCA Healthcare has been continually named one of Ethisphere’s most ethical company’s in the world since 2010. In 2018, HCA spent an estimated $3.3 billion in cost for the delivery of charitable care, uninsured discounts, and other uncompensated expenses.

    Be a part of an organization that invests in you. We are actively reviewing applications. Highly qualified candidates will be promptly contacted by our hiring managers for interviews. Submit your application and help us raise the bar in patient care!

    EEOC

    We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

  5. Post your job

    To find the right respiratory therapist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with respiratory therapists they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit respiratory therapists who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your respiratory therapist job on Zippia to find and attract quality respiratory therapist candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting respiratory therapists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new respiratory therapist

    Once you have selected a candidate for the respiratory therapist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new respiratory therapist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a respiratory therapist?

Before you start to hire respiratory therapists, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire respiratory therapists pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $55,617 per year for a respiratory therapist, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for respiratory therapists in the US typically range between $15 and $43 an hour.

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