Respiratory Care

About Respiratory Care

Breathing is a privilege many people may take for granted. However, those with cardiopulmonary diseases know just how hard breathing can be. At SDSU, students can become a registered respiratory therapist (RRT) and help patients breathe easier.

Now is a good time to become respiratory therapist in South Dakota. South Dakota’s health care industry is projected to add 6,472 workers to the state’s economy between 2018 and 2028. The rate of growth is projected to be 11.3%, much faster than the 7.1% projected for all industries. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 14% growth in the respiratory therapy from 2021 to 2031, with about 9,400 job openings projected each year. Median Pay for a respiratory therapist is $70,540 per year or $33.91 per hour.

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Scholarships, Sponsorships and Sign-On Bonuses from Avera, Monument, Sanford and SDSU

BREATHE-SD Scholarship for students pursuing the A.S. in respiratory care

BREATHE-SD is an HRSA grant-funded project focused on increasing and strengthening the respiratory care and public health workforce in South Dakota.

Through BREATHE-SD, half-tuition scholarships are available to students pursuing an A.S. in respiratory care at SDSU. All A.S. degree requirements also count toward the B.S. in respiratory care.

There is no separate application for the BREATHE-SD scholarship. Students simply need to apply to the A.S. in respiratory care program and they will be automatically considered for the half-tuition BREATHE-SD scholarship.

Faculty Feature: Lacy Patnoe, Director of Respiratory Care

Explore Our Programs

The respiratory care program offers associate and baccalaureate respiratory care degrees. Graduates demonstrate competence in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning domains of respiratory care practice, to prepare and perform as registered respiratory therapists.