Respiratory Care

What kind of work do respiratory therapists do?

• You’re interested in how the body works, what happens in disease, and how to restore functionality
• You want to make a difference in the lives of patients – in both emergency critical care and long term situations
• You are adept with state-of-the-art technology in addition to providing bedside patient care
• You’d like the flexibility to move nearly anywhere in the country and have excellent job opportunities
• You may eventually want to become an expert in heart and lung disorders and treatment

Does this sound like you? Browse some of the links below to learn more about our program – then visit us to observe respiratory therapists at work, speak with professional therapists, faculty and students, visit our classrooms and labs – to better understand the Brookdale program and career requirements.

What’s the employment outlook?

Job opportunities are expected to to be very good, especially for those with cardiopulmonary care skills. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment is projected to grow 12 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than average for all occupations.

New Jersey is in the top five states for both earnings and employment.

In May 2016 the median annual wage for respiratory therapists was $60,640. (The median wage is the wage at which half the workers earn more than that amount, and half earn less.) The lowest 10 percent earned below $42,490, and the top 10 percent earned more than $81,550.

Read the full report here.

Any questions about entering Brookdale’s Respiratory Care program may be addressed to Beth Stryker in the Admissions office at 732-224-2330 or bstryker@brookdalecc.edu

If you have specific questions about the field or would like to arrange a visit to observe a professional in a local hospital, please contact Carol Schedel at 732-224-2692 or cschedel@brookdalecc.edu

Request more information.