Which schools offer WIOA-approved respiratory therapy programs?

205 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Pick a state on the map or compare them belowCompare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

What does a respiratory therapist do, and how do you become one?

Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing, for example from a chronic condition such as asthma. Most need at least an associate degree in respiratory therapy from an accredited program, with supervised practice treating patients, and some employers prefer a bachelor's degree.¹ All 49 states that license respiratory therapists base the license on the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).²

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Approved programsup to 34 to 45 to 9more than 9

How much do respiratory therapy programs cost?

Most respiratory therapy programs approved for WIOA funding cost $8,531 to $17,540 if you pay yourself. Two-year degrees mostly cost $8,458 to $15,877 and bachelor's degrees $18,666 to $33,110. Prices also differ by state: most cost $6,179 to $6,722 in North Carolina and $22,304 to $31,421 in Washington.

That is the price of the whole program as the school reports it. If you qualify, WIOA funding can pay part or all of it, depending on local limits (who qualifies). The figures cover only programs approved for WIOA funding; other schools and programs may cost more or less.

Compare respiratory therapy programs by state: cost, pay and results

Respiratory therapy programs by state
State	Programs	Most cost	Earned a year, estimated	Working 6 months later	Finished
Alabama	5	$12,000 to $12,600	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Arizona	4	Too few figures to show
Arkansas	5	$13,000 to $16,565	about $42,800	68%	80%
California	2	Too few figures to show
Colorado	4	Too few figures to show
Florida	12	$6,632 to $8,624	about $57,000	92%	82%
Georgia	11	$7,872 to $12,024	about $31,300	87%	33%
Illinois	14	Left out	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not reported
Indiana	3	Too few figures to show
Iowa	5	$14,210 to $15,903	about $62,100	91%	63%
Kansas	2	Too few figures to show
Kentucky	12	$11,703 to $13,058	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
Louisiana	4	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Left out
Maine	2	Too few figures to show
Maryland	3	Too few figures to show
Michigan	8	$14,680 to $22,983	about $48,500	82%	81%
Minnesota	3	Too few figures to show
Mississippi	9	$7,555 to $10,320	about $49,100	80%	Left out
Missouri	11	$15,056 to $32,045	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
Montana	1	Too few figures to show
Nebraska	2	Too few figures to show
New Hampshire	1	Too few figures to show
New Mexico	6	$7,308 to $10,383	about $37,400	46%	Left out
North Carolina	11	$6,179 to $6,722	about $52,900	90%	42%
North Dakota	1	Too few figures to show
Ohio	18	$10,595 to $19,985	about $73,300	92%	71%
Oklahoma	4	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Pennsylvania	4	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Puerto Rico	3	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Left out
Tennessee	9	$13,437 to $43,710	about $59,600	91%	78%
Texas	16	$5,507 to $10,534	about $58,900	84%	79%
Utah	3	Not enough data	Not enough data	Left out	Not enough data
Virginia	2	Too few figures to show
Washington	6	$22,304 to $31,421	Not enough data	Not enough data	Not enough data
Wisconsin	7	$10,141 to $11,898	about $47,400	82%	48%

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer respiratory therapy programs too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

Respiratory therapist program: associate or bachelor's degree? What the 213 programs are

By kind, the 213 programs approved for WIOA funding are respiratory therapy (associate degree, 167 programs), respiratory therapy program (level not stated, 28 programs), respiratory therapy (bachelor's degree, 15 programs) and respiratory therapy certificate or diploma (3 programs).

Across the US, 49 of the 213 programs take students without a high school diploma, 104 ask for a diploma or equivalent, 57 ask for earlier courses first, 2 ask for an associate degree and 1 asks for a bachelor's degree.

Are there free respiratory therapy programs in the US?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program counted on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. Without funding, prices differ by state: most respiratory therapy programs cost $6,179 to $6,722 in North Carolina and $22,304 to $31,421 in Washington. Each state's page lists every program with its price.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Other training by state

Approved programs per field across every state. Each opens that field's comparison by state.

Where the respiratory therapy program numbers by state come from

Which respiratory therapy programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁷ Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the facts about respiratory therapy programs

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Nursing and patient care

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Education and social services

Respiratory therapy programs by state