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Respiratory therapy assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a respiratory therapy assistant. Respiratory therapy assistants usually study medical technician, nursing, or general studies. 51% of respiratory therapy assistants hold a associate degree, and 24% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 187 real respiratory therapy assistant resumes to see exactly what respiratory therapy assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for respiratory therapy assistants are the Ferris State University and the Ferris State University.
There are also many online respiratory therapy assistant courses to help get the education required to be a respiratory therapy assistant.
What education do you need to become a respiratory therapy assistant?
What degree do you need to be a respiratory therapy assistant?
- Associate, 51%
- Bachelor's, 24%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a respiratory therapy assistant?
- Medical Technician, 35%
- Nursing, 10%
- General Studies, 9%
- Business, 8%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for respiratory therapy assistants
| Respiratory therapy assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Ferris State University | 13.79% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 6.90% |
| Austin Community College | 6.90% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.90% |
| Molloy College | 6.90% |
Best majors for respiratory therapy assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical Technician | 34.9% |
| 2 | Nursing | 10.5% |
| 3 | General Studies | 9.3% |
| 4 | Business | 8.1% |
| 5 | Health Care Administration | 5.8% |
Best colleges for respiratory therapy assistants
The best colleges for respiratory therapy assistants are Vanderbilt University, Yale University, and Duke University.
A respiratory therapy assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for respiratory therapy assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become respiratory therapy assistants.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
7. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
20 best online courses for respiratory therapy assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for respiratory therapy assistants
The most affordable schools for respiratory therapy assistants are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and florida international university.
If the best universities for respiratory therapy assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for respiratory therapy assistants.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
7. Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences
Memphis, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$11,900
Cost of attendance
21,002
8. Louisiana State University at Alexandria
Alexandria, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,668
Cost of attendance
14,488
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for respiratory therapy assistants
The hardest universities for respiratory therapy assistants to get into are Vanderbilt University, Yale University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for respiratory therapy assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for respiratory therapy assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
2. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
10. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,326
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for respiratory therapy assistants
The easiest schools for respiratory therapy assistants to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a respiratory therapy assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for respiratory therapy assistants.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
9. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
10. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
Average respiratory therapy assistant salary by education level
| Respiratory therapy assistant education level | Respiratory therapy assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $88,668 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $45,228 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,751 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $52,538 |
Respiratory therapy assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025