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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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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.

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.

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Respiratory care students and a mannequin.

Incentives available for new respiratory therapists in South Dakota

There is currently a shortage of respiratory therapists in the nation, including in South Dakota. The profession is projected to grow 14% from 2021, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. To combat this shortage, each year, South Dakota State University and the health systems in South Dakota offer a variety of incentives for new and in-training respiratory therapists.

SDSU’s BREATHE-SD project to improve respiratory care and public health in South Dakota featured on The Prairie Doc

The BREATHE-SD project was recently featured on a segment of The Prairie Doc, which airs on SDPB. BREATHE-SD is a new grant-funded project to increase the respiratory therapy and public health workforce in South Dakota.

SDSU to lead $1.545 million BREATHE-SD project, partner with area hospitals

South Dakota State University is partnering with hospitals in Brookings, Huron and Madison to expand the public health and respiratory therapy workforce. The Community Practice Innovation Center within the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions at SDSU has received a three-year, $1.545 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration.