AARC Respiratory Therapist Human Resource Study

The AARC periodically conducts human resource studies of therapists and institutions that employ therapists.

In 2020, the AARC commissioned its last full study of therapists and employers to update information that has served multiple goals, including strategic planning, government relations, and programming. Previous full studies were completed in 2014, 2009, 2005, and 2000.

In 2017, the AARC commissioned a study to gather information about the education levels of respiratory therapists. The AARC prepared and made available a survey with the intent that the individuals who were respiratory therapists would respond.

Opportunities to respond to the survey were sent to the sample unsolicited by potential responses. Members of the sample then choose whether to respond. Therefore, the sample was composed of volunteers.

AARC members can download the Human Resource Study reports.

Download the Human Resource Studies

2020 Human Resources Study

AARC Respiratory Therapist Human Resource Study 2020 — Introductions and Trends
This overview is perfect for managers, educational program directors, college recruiters, and researchers interested in professional trends.

Also included is an executive summary and the Compensation Calculator. The Compensation Calculator is an Excel spreadsheet to help you perform earnings comparisons based on factors identified in the surveys that have both positive and negative effects on salaries.

AARC Respiratory Therapist Human Resource Study 2020 — Educational Programs
This report is perfect for educational program directors, college recruiters, and researchers interested in professional trends focused on respiratory care educational programs. The report includes the full Educational Programs Survey results as well as an executive summary.

AARC Respiratory Therapist Human Resource Study 2020 — Acute Care Hospital Employers
This report is perfect for managers and researchers interested in professional trends in acute care hospital respiratory care departments. This report includes the full Acute Care Hospital Employers Survey results as well as an executive summary.

AARC Respiratory Therapist Human Resource Study 2020 — Therapist Data
This report is perfect for managers, educational program directors, college recruiters, and researchers interested in professional trends as reported by respiratory therapists. This report includes the full Therapists Survey results as well as an executive summary.

2017 Summary Report

AARC Human Resource Survey 2017

Findings from our 2017 comparison survey on educational levels suggest progress is being made. Key results include:

The percentage of respondents reporting a bachelor’s degree or higher went from 40.5% in 2014 to 43.2% in 2017.
11.9% of respondents in the associate’s degree category in the 2017 survey said they were working on a higher academic degree.
The percentage of respondents who reported that they were pursuing a higher degree to advance their career in respiratory care increased from 2014 to 2017.

Further analysis of the results led the authors to conclude that 55–56% of respondents either had or may have been working toward a bachelor’s degree in 2017. The 2014 findings were based on responses from 15,234 respondents. In 2017, 19,281 therapists responded to the survey.