Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Dallas, TX
Respiratory therapists in Dallas earn a local median of about $40 an hour on a two-year degree. The work runs through the ICUs, ERs and NICUs of the Medical District, Walnut Hill and Oak Cliff hospitals, plus the Dallas VA. Here are the current openings, then who hires and how to get your Texas certificate.
Current respiratory therapist Openings in Dallas, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Respiratory Therapist Work in Dallas
Dallas hires respiratory therapists in three hospital clusters. UT Southwestern's hospitals sit in the Southwestern Medical District on Harry Hines, Texas Health Dallas anchors the north-central hospitals on Walnut Hill Lane by Central Expressway, and Methodist Dallas Medical Center runs a Level I trauma center in North Oak Cliff. The Dallas VA Medical Center on South Lancaster Road adds a federal pulmonary service in southern Dallas.
Hospitals here staff RTs around the clock for ventilator management, trauma response and neonatal care, so night shifts, PRN pools and rotating weekends are common entry points. Most Dallas employers ask for the RRT credential rather than CRT, and critical care, ER and NICU units add ACLS, PALS or NRP within your first months.
Top Dallas Employers for Respiratory Therapists
These Dallas hospitals employ registered respiratory therapists:
- Texas Health Resources - Texas Health Dallas on Walnut Hill Lane hires RRTs full time, part time and PRN on all shifts, with ACLS for ICU and ER and NRP for NICU.
- UT Southwestern Medical Center - the academic medical center in the Medical District hires full-time registered respiratory therapists.
- Methodist Health System - Methodist Dallas Medical Center on North Beckley Avenue hires RRTs, including PRN, licensed as Respiratory Care Practitioners in Texas.
- VA North Texas Health Care System - the Dallas VA's pulmonary section hires respiratory therapists from GS-5 up to GS-11, with nights and rotating weekends.
Respiratory Therapist Salaries in Dallas
- Entry level: about $33 to $37 an hour for new graduates.
- Experienced: roughly $38 to $46 an hour for RRTs with critical care experience.
- Senior and specialty: about $47 to $48 an hour or more for leads and neonatal or critical care specialists.
These are estimates. Federal wage data for the Dallas-Fort Worth area puts the respiratory therapist median at about $40.42 an hour, or roughly $84,000 a year, and Dallas College reports a $40 median. The RRT credential, night differentials, critical care or neonatal skills and federal GS steps at the VA move pay up.
How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Dallas
You need an associate degree or higher from a CoARC-accredited respiratory care program, an NBRC credential (CRT or, as most Dallas hospitals require, RRT), and a Respiratory Care Practitioner certificate from the Texas Medical Board. The RCP application costs $175 including the jurisprudence exam and requires a fingerprint background check; new graduates can work on a one-year temporary certificate while finishing the process. Dallas College offers the Respiratory Care AAS at the Downtown Health Sciences Center in the West End, a block north of El Centro: about two years, $5,940 in county tuition, CoARC accredited, and graduates sit for the NBRC therapist exams.
What the Job Involves
Respiratory therapists assess breathing, set up and manage ventilators, give breathing treatments, draw and analyze arterial blood gases, and respond to rapid responses, codes and trauma activations. They wean patients off ventilators, manage airways with the care team, educate patients on inhalers and home oxygen, and chart every treatment in the medical record.
Skills Employers Look For
- RRT credential from the NBRC
- Texas Respiratory Care Practitioner certificate
- BLS and ACLS, plus PALS or NRP for pediatric and neonatal units
- Ventilator management and arterial blood gas skills
- Calm response in codes and trauma activations
- Clear communication with physicians and nurses
Career Path and Advancement
Many Dallas RTs start on nights or in a PRN pool at a Medical District or Walnut Hill hospital, then move into adult ICU, NICU or trauma teams. From there the path leads to lead therapist, clinical coordinator, pulmonary function or sleep lab work, education roles and department management, with a bachelor's degree helping for leadership.
Related Careers in Dallas
If respiratory care interests you, these related Dallas roles are close matches:
- Registered Nurse Jobs
- Radiologic Technologist Jobs
- Surgical Technologist Jobs
- Medical Laboratory Technician Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a respiratory therapist in Texas?
Yes. Texas requires a Respiratory Care Practitioner certificate issued through the Texas Medical Board. You need a completed respiratory care program, a current NBRC credential and a fingerprint background check, and the $175 application includes the jurisprudence exam.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Dallas?
New graduates generally start around $33 to $37 an hour, and experienced RRTs earn about $38 to $46. Leads and neonatal or critical care specialists can reach $47 to $48 an hour or more with differentials.
Can I work in Dallas with a CRT instead of an RRT?
Some employers accept a CRT, but most Dallas hospital postings require the RRT. The VA allows a temporary appointment of up to one year for CRT holders working toward the RRT.
Where can I study respiratory care in Dallas?
Dallas College runs a CoARC-accredited Respiratory Care AAS at the Downtown Health Sciences Center in the West End. It takes about two years full time and costs about $5,940 in tuition for Dallas County residents.
Can new graduates work before the full Texas certificate is issued?
Yes. After graduating, you can apply for a temporary Respiratory Care Practitioner certificate, valid for one year with no extensions. It ends automatically when your full certificate is issued.
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