Respiratory therapist vs physical therapist

The differences between respiratory therapists and physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist has an average salary of $73,070, which is higher than the $55,617 average annual salary of a respiratory therapist.

The top three skills for a respiratory therapist include patients, respiratory care and BLS. The most important skills for a physical therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Respiratory therapist vs physical therapist overview

	Respiratory Therapist	Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$55,617	$73,070
Hourly rate	$26.74	$35.13
Growth rate	14%	17%
Number of jobs	33,980	86,697
Job satisfaction	3.33	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	46	41
Years of experience	12	-

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.

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

Respiratory therapist vs physical therapist salary

Respiratory therapists and physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Respiratory Therapist	Physical Therapist
Average salary	$55,617	$73,070
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $91,000	Between $56,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	Lancaster, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Heartland Home Health Inc.	Parkway
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between respiratory therapist and physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a respiratory therapist and a physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Respiratory Therapist	Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Medical Technician	Physical Therapy
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Respiratory therapist vs physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between respiratory therapists' and physical therapists' demographics:

	Respiratory Therapist	Physical Therapist
Average age	46	41
Gender ratio	Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5%	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	12%

Differences between respiratory therapist and physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Respiratory therapist example 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.

Physical therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct in-services and train colleagues in effective techniques for safely managing the CVA patient.
Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Perform physical therapy evaluation and treatment of orthopedic patients and supervise PTAs.
Progress patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilize.
Motivate patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
Experience include IFSP and IEP writing and implementation

Respiratory therapist vs physical therapist skills

Common respiratory therapist skills

Patients, 18%
Respiratory Care, 11%
BLS, 8%
RRT, 7%
Acls, 5%
Ventilation, 4%

Common physical therapist skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 15%
Home Health, 13%
Quality Care, 5%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Treatment Programs, 3%

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Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory Therapist vs Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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