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A.S. in Respiratory Care

Breathe Life into Your Career

The A.S. in respiratory care is a 2-year program that prepares graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning domains of respiratory care practice. Upon graduation, you'll be eligible to take the entry-level examination of the National Board for Respiratory Care to become a registered respiratory therapist.

To better fit your schedule, complete the program at any one of our 5 locations including Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Brookings, Madison, and Huron.

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.

Sign-On Bonuses, Scholarships and Sponsorship Opportunities for Respiratory Care Students

SDState Respiratory Care Program- By the Numbers

Class Size

40

Job Placement

100%

Board Pass Rate

100%

Accreditation

The respiratory care program holds continuing accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an "outcomes-based" process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented. Program outcomes data is available on CoARC.

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SDSU Respiratory Care Program Honored.

For the fourth consecutive year, the respiratory care program at South Dakota State University has been honored for achieving 100% Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success. The President’s Award for Excellence in Credentialing Success is awarded by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. SDSU is one of a select few programs nationwide to earn the award.

 

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