Respiratory therapists focus on a patient’s breathing and specialize in respiratory/pulmonary procedures, while RNs provide a broader range of care with greater emphasis on holistic care of the whole person.
RTs can have a more clearly defined set of hands-on tasks they regularly perform, specializing in respiratory diagnosis, testing, and treatment.
RNs must be familiar with a wide scope of knowledge and procedures. While RNs can specialize in respiratory/pulmonary care, they can also specialize in many other areas and discover opportunities to advance their practice in the future.
Learn more about our BSN Bridge Option for RTs
BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2024. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.
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