Careers

Respiratory Care: Changing the world one breath at a time. What they do:

Respiratory Therapists use technology to care for tiny premature infants, children with asthma, and many other acute and critical patients. They help people take their first breath and their last.

Respiratory Care as a Career:

The national employment rate for new respiratory therapists is an impressively high 84.6%. Closer to home, it’s even better: 100% of those who completed the respiratory care program at Kettering College in 2024 were employed in the field before graduation.

The demand for respiratory therapists has never been higher, with the number of positions expected to grow by 12.5% between 2024 and 2034, faster than average among all occupations. This anticipated growth is largely because our population is aging, and older people are most likely to have breathing problems that require respiratory care.

Education in Ohio: Kettering College is the only respiratory program in the state of Ohio to offer an accelerated course of study, making it possible to finish your bachelor’s degree in only three years. 

Hiring Rates: Job opportunities are high in this field, with the national average employment rate within six months of graduation being 84.6%. in 2024, 100% of the Kettering College graduates were employed in the field within 2 months of graduation.

Pass Rates: The national pass rate for the clinical simulation examination to earn the RRT credential is 69.2%, but in 2025, 100% of Kettering College respiratory graduates passed! 

Profession: Respiratory illness is common in the United States, as millions of people suffer from genetically or environmentally developed respiratory conditions. This creates options within your respiratory career. You may choose to work within various roles as a respiratory therapist. Intensive Care Nursery, Emergency Department, Labor and Delivery, Land/Air transport, Diagnostic testing, and pulmonary rehabilitation.

Pay: The national media wage for respiratory therapists is $77,960 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 data.

Awards: Kettering College’s program has received the Distinguished Credentialing Success Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care for 5 consecutive years.

Job Outlook: There is a current shortage of respiratory therapists, and demand is projected to grow by about 12.5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for most other occupations.

“I chose Kettering College’s Respiratory Care program because they offer a bachelor’s degree in this, which is quickly becoming the minimum requirement for the jobs I will seek. Because Kettering is a smaller college, I am more than a student ID number. My professors know me by name, and that gives me a unique resource should I need help.”

Heather Allen – Current Student