Career comparison
Registered Nurse vs. Respiratory Therapist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Registered nurses earn more at the median ($97,550 vs. $82,280), while registered nurses usually get to work faster (2–4 years of training). Registered nurses assess patients, give treatments, coordinate care and educate families. Respiratory therapists help patients breathe, from asthma treatments to managing ventilators in the ICU.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Registered Nurse | Respiratory Therapist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $97,550 ($46.90/hr) | $82,280 ($39.56/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $68,940 – $137,470 | $63,660 – $118,050 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +5.6% (faster than average) | +8.5% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 180,800 | 8,600 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Associate's degree |
| Training time | 2–4 years | 2 years |
| Key credential | NCLEX-RN license | Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) |
| Work setting | About half of RNs work in hospitals; others work in physician offices, home health, nursing homes, outpatient and ambulatory surgery centers, schools, government and the military. | Most respiratory therapists work in hospitals, especially ICUs, emergency departments and neonatal units. |
What each job does
Registered Nurse
- Assess patients’ physical and emotional condition and record observations
- Administer medications, IV fluids and treatments as ordered
- Monitor patients, interpret vital signs and lab values and recognize deterioration
- Develop and update nursing care plans
- Coordinate care with physicians, therapists, case managers and families
Respiratory Therapist
- Assess patients’ breathing, oxygen levels and lung sounds
- Give aerosol, inhaler and oxygen therapy
- Set up, monitor and adjust mechanical ventilators
- Draw and analyze arterial blood gases
- Respond to codes, rapid responses and intubations
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, working with people, hands-on work, and indoor work. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose registered nurse if…
- I want a career where I make a real difference in people’s health
- I can stay calm and think clearly in emergencies
- I’m willing to complete two to four years of rigorous study
Choose respiratory therapist if…
- I want to help people in critical situations
- I like science and physiology
- I can stay calm during emergencies
Still torn? Take the Registered Nurse fit quiz and the Respiratory Therapist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, registered nurse or respiratory therapist?
Registered Nurses earn more at the median: $97,550 versus $82,280 for respiratory therapists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Registered Nurses typically train faster (2–4 years) than respiratory therapists (2 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects respiratory therapists to grow +8.5% from 2025–35, compared with +5.6% for registered nurses.