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
Job Placement
Board Pass Rate
How to Apply
Step One
Apply to SDState to enroll as a student and start working towards your respiratory care degree.
Step Two
Apply to the Respiratory Care Program
Step 3
A member of the respiratory care program will be in touch to help you start the registration process.
Accreditation
The South Dakota State University Respiratory Care Program, program numbers 200070 (Base Program) and 300015 (Satellite Program), granting the degree of Associate of Science in Respiratory Care, base program located on the campus of South Dakota State University and satellite program located on the campus of Monument Health Rapid City, is accredited by the .
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 .
³ÉÈËÊÓƵ Respiratory Care Program Honored.
The respiratory care program at South Dakota State University has once again 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. ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ is one of only 26 programs nationwide to earn the award. - June 13, 2024
For more information, contact:
Marissa Trosen
Interim Director of Respiratory Care Program/Instructor
Department of Allied and Population Health