Undergraduate Programs

Respiratory therapists are healthcare professionals who help people breathe easier, literally. They work with patients of all ages, from premature babies struggling to breathe on their own to older adults managing chronic lung conditions like asthma or COPD. Respiratory therapists step in during emergencies to stabilize patients whose breathing is in danger, manage ventilators and other life support equipment in intensive care units, and teach patients how to use inhalers and breathing treatments correctly. They work closely with doctors and nurses in hospitals, but also in home care, rehabilitation centers, and sleep labs. At the core of the job is a simple mission: making sure patients can breathe, and helping them breathe better for the long run. If this sounds like the kind of work you want to do, learn more about our admissions process and take the first step toward this career.

UToledo’s Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care is designed to take you from the classroom to the credential exam to the bedside, fully prepared. The program is four years total. The first two years cover your prerequisite and general education courses, building the foundation you need for the professional curriculum ahead. In the final two years, you enter the professional division, where the real training begins. You will spend part of each week in the classroom learning the science and skills behind respiratory care, and two days a week in clinical rotations at hospitals throughout the region, gaining hands-on experience with real patients under the guidance of practicing respiratory therapists. By graduation, you will be ready to sit for your credentialing exams and step directly into the field.

Top Reasons to Study respiratory care at UToledo

1. A nationally recognized, top-ranked program.

   UToledo's respiratory care program has been honored with the Ohio Board of Regents' Program Excellence Award and has repeatedly earned the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care's Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award, a mark of consistent excellence in exam success, student retention, and job placement.
2. Real clinical experience, not just classroom theory.

   Long before graduation, students are working alongside clinical instructors at The University of Toledo Medical Center and regional hospitals and health systems. They treat real patients, from premature infants to the critically ill, gaining the kind of hands-on experience that builds confidence and competence.
3. A track record of passing the boards.

   Our graduates consistently outperform the national average on the credentialing exam required to practice as a respiratory therapist in Ohio and across the country. When you walk across the stage, you'll be ready to walk into the field.

4. Faculty who have done the job.

   Every instructor is a nationally registered respiratory therapist with an advanced degree and years of clinical experience. You're learning from people who have stood at the bedside, not just studied it from a textbook.

5. Graduates who get hired.

   UToledo respiratory care graduates are known for landing jobs quickly after graduation and staying in the field. Employers across the region actively seek out our students because they arrive ready to work on day one.

6. A built-in professional network.

   Our graduates work throughout hospitals and health systems across the region, which means students train and network alongside alumni from day one. That connection often opens doors to mentorship, clinical placements, and job opportunities long before graduation.
7. Training built around teamwork.

   Respiratory therapists never work in isolation, and neither do our students. Through interprofessional education, students train alongside peers from other health professions, learning to communicate and collaborate the way real hospital teams do. It's preparation that goes beyond the technical skills.
8. A career with room to grow.

   Respiratory care is a field in high demand, with paths that extend well beyond the bedside. Graduates go on to specialize in high-acuity areas like neonatal and pediatric critical care, or join flight and transport teams, delivering critical care in the air and on the ground. Others branch into hospital leadership, medical device sales, or education. Many use their degree as a launchpad into graduate programs in medicine, physician assistant studies, or anesthesia. Wherever your interests take you, a respiratory care degree gives you the foundation to get there.

What jobs can I get with a respiratory care degree?

The job market continues to be strong for respiratory therapists. UToledo has a 100% job placement rate for recent graduates.

Our graduates work almost exclusively in hospitals. They have been hired by all area hospitals and every children’s hospital in Ohio and at the University of Michigan.

An increasing number of respiratory therapists are now working in:

• Skilled nursing facilities
• Physicians' offices
• Home-health agencies
• Specialized care hospitals
• Medical-equipment supply companies

UToledo graduates also have become educators and program directors at institutions throughout the country.

The exams to become certified or registered respiratory therapists are optional, but most states require at least the certification exam. Many employers also insist on at least one of these credentials. 

Hands-On Learning Opportunities

At UToledo, we take you beyond the textbooks and the four walls of a classroom. These real-world experiences are what help our graduates gain professional skills and land jobs.

Tuition and Scholarships

Most new students don't pay full price. 94% of new UToledo students receive scholarships or other state and federal aid.

Keep in mind: Your cost will vary by college, program and a host of other options. This is the average amount full-time students pay per year.

I’m a first-time freshman I’m a transfer I live in Ohio or Michigan and will commute. I live in Ohio or Michigan and will live on campus. I live outside Ohio or Michigan, have a 3.0 or higher GPA and will live on campus. I live outside Ohio or Michigan, have below a 3.0 GPA and will live on campus. I live in Ohio or Michigan and will commute. I live in Ohio or Michigan and will live on campus. I live outside Ohio or Michigan and will live on campus. I live outside Ohio or Michigan and will commute.

I live in Ohio or Michigan and will commute.

I live in Ohio or Michigan and will live on campus.

I live outside Ohio or Michigan, have a 3.0 or higher GPA and will live on campus.

I live outside Ohio or Michigan, have below a 3.0 GPA and will live on campus.

I live in Ohio or Michigan and will commute.

I live in Ohio or Michigan and will live on campus.

I live outside Ohio or Michigan and will live on campus.

I live outside Ohio or Michigan and will commute.

Tuition and Fees

Living Expenses (Housing & Food)

---

per year

How to pay for collegeInternational Student - How to Pay for College

Choose Ohio First scholarship

Ohio residents who have been accepted into this STEM program are eligible for the Choose Ohio First scholarship — a four-year, renewable scholarship.

Choose Ohio First Scholarship

Honors College

The Jesup Scott Honors College at The University of Toledo offer our best and brightest the resources and opportunities needed to unlock your fullest potential. Whether you aspire following graduation to cure disease, innovate technology, advance statecraft, redefine markets, or express creatively, together we can fuel vibrant and promising tomorrows.

Honors students come from a variety of countries, backgrounds and cultures. While we may bond over a tough class, our differences make us blossom.

Benefits of Honors

The Honors College is a community of academically gifted students from all majors on campus. Students take unique Honors classes taught by dedicated Honors faculty and complete an Honors thesis or capstone project in their major, earning the Honors medallion at graduation within their normal program of study. Honors students are challenged to think more deeply and broadly about what they learn. With special academic, cultural, and professional development opportunities, their education extends beyond the classroom.

Honors students can also choose exclusive housing in the Honors Academic Village or President's Hall.

Explore more about what the Honors College can offer you as a budding professional, inquisitive scholar, and engaged person.