Respiratory Therapist vs Licensed Practical Nurse
The fundamental choice between Respiratory Therapist and Licensed Practical Nurse isn't which pays more — it's whether you can afford the longer runway to the higher-paying option.
What the day actually looks like
A Respiratory Therapist's (RT) shift is focused on the cardiopulmonary system. They manage ventilators, administer aerosol-based medications, draw arterial blood for gas analysis, and perform lung function tests. RTs work with a degree of autonomy in their specialty and report to physicians. A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) provides broader, whole-body patient care under the direction of a Registered Nurse (RN) or doctor. Their day involves monitoring vital signs, dressing wounds, administering a wide range of medications, and assisting patients with daily activities like bathing and eating.
Where each role is actually hiring
Demand for Respiratory Therapists is heavily concentrated in hospitals, where approximately 75% are employed, particularly in emergency rooms and intensive care units. Other significant employers include sleep disorder centers and home healthcare agencies. Licensed Practical Nurses find the largest concentration of jobs in skilled nursing facilities and long-term care homes. They are also frequently hired for positions in physicians' offices, hospitals, and home health services, reflecting a wider variety of work settings compared to the more specialized RT role.
Picking between them today
Choosing between these roles involves a key trade-off. Opt for Respiratory Therapist if you prefer to master a highly technical, specialized skill set focused on a single body system. The career path is deep but narrow. Choose Licensed Practical Nurse for a broader scope of practice dealing with a patient's overall health and well-being. While there is no direct ladder from RT to LPN, the LPN role serves as a foundational step toward becoming a Registered Nurse, which offers significantly more pathways for career advancement.
Sources cited (10)
payments Salary
Salary edge
Respiratory Therapists earn $18,110 more per year at the median. That's roughly $1,509/month before taxes — a gap that compounds over a career but needs to be weighed against any difference in training time or upfront costs.
State-by-state pay
| State | Respiratory Therapist | Licensed Practical Nurse | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $102,120 | $77,170 | +24,950 |
| Washington | $97,150 | $79,700 | +17,450 |
| District of Columbia | $104,240 | $70,420 | +33,820 |
| Massachusetts | $96,940 | $76,560 | +20,380 |
| Oregon | $96,130 | $76,570 | +19,560 |
| Alaska | $94,210 | $77,670 | +16,540 |
| New Jersey | $98,020 | $71,180 | +26,840 |
| New York | $103,820 | $64,030 | +39,790 |
| Rhode Island | $83,600 | $77,940 | +5,660 |
| Hawaii | $94,670 | $65,560 | +29,110 |
checklist Requirements at a glance
| Factor | Respiratory Therapist | Licensed Practical Nurse |
|---|---|---|
| Typical time | 2-4 years | 1-2 years |
| Est. total cost | — | — |
| Exam | NBRC CRT or RRT exam | NCLEX-PN |
| License required | Most states | Most states |
| Education | Associate degree from a CoARC-accredited program | Completion of a state-approved practical nursing program |
| CE hours / cycle | 19 hrs | 22 hrs |
Barrier to entry
Timeline differs: Respiratory Therapist typically takes 2-4 years, while Licensed Practical Nurse takes 1-2 years.
trending_up Job market
Market outlook
Respiratory Therapist is projected to grow faster (+12.1% vs +2.6% over the next decade). Volume-wise, Licensed Practical Nurse is the bigger market (54,400 openings per year vs. 8,800). The smaller field isn't bad — niche often pays better per job — but market depth is a real factor if you value mobility. Licensed Practical Nurse carries lower AI automation risk, which matters for long-term career stability.
flag Bottom line
Respiratory Therapist wins on pay by $18,110 at the median — about $1,509/month before taxes. Small on a paycheck-to-paycheck basis; large over a career, and worth pressure-testing against the training-time difference.
Respiratory Therapist is 2-4 years of training; Licensed Practical Nurse is 1-2 years. The opportunity cost of the extra school time is often larger than people estimate, especially if you're already working.
Long-term, Respiratory Therapist has a clear edge in job market growth. That doesn't mean the other career is dying — but more openings mean more leverage at hiring, more places you can live, and less competition for specific roles.
Frequently asked questions
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source Sources
- Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), most recent annual release.
- Career outlook and annual openings: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
- Licensing requirements: compiled per-state from primary state licensing boards; per-state sources are cited on each Respiratory Therapist and Licensed Practical Nurse state page.
See our full methodology for data refresh schedule and known limitations. Updated 2026.