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Respiratory therapy programs in Illinois

14 respiratory therapy programs with results and funding that can make them free

14 schools offer these respiratory therapy programs, and Illinois has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows how past students did; Illinois files no usable prices.

Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing, for example from a chronic condition such as asthma. Most need at least an associate degree in respiratory therapy from an accredited program, with supervised practice treating patients, and some employers prefer a bachelor's degree.1 All 49 states that license respiratory therapists base the license on the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).2

In Illinois, 2 of the 14 programs take students without a high school diploma, 2 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 10 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 14 programs here are respiratory therapy (associate degree, 11 programs) and respiratory therapy program (level not stated, 3 programs).

See the 14 programs

How much do respiratory therapy programs cost in Illinois?

Not reported

Illinois files no usable prices, so none can be shown.

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not reported
None of the 14 programs report it
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
72 to 94 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Illinois may also offer respiratory therapy programs. How these figures are made

Are there free respiratory therapy programs in Illinois?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 14 respiratory therapy programs in Illinois approved for WIOA funding

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14 programs

  • Respiratory therapy program (level not stated)In personEducation and courses

    Respiratory Therapist

    Illinois Central College

    East Peoria

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Illinois Central College, East PeoriaRespiratory therapy program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimated$69,100
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapist at Illinois Central College
    More details about Respiratory Therapist at Illinois Central College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    88%
    Earned in a quarter
    $17,273
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    36
    Earned a year, estimated
    $69,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapist at Illinois Central College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personEducation and courses

    Respiratory Therapist Associate Degree

    Kankakee Community College

    Kankakee

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Kankakee Community College, KankakeeRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimated$39,500
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out

    5 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Respiratory Therapist Associate Degree at Kankakee Community College
    More details about Respiratory Therapist Associate Degree at Kankakee Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    85%
    Earned in a quarter
    $9,882
    Length
    64 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    36
    Earned a year, estimated
    $39,500
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    students trained with WIOA funding
    5
    Program website, Respiratory Therapist Associate Degree at Kankakee Community College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personEducation and courses

    Respiratory Therapy Degree

    Kaskaskia College

    Centralia

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Kaskaskia College, CentraliaRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimated$41,300
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Degree at Kaskaskia College
    More details about Respiratory Therapy Degree at Kaskaskia College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    89%
    Earned in a quarter
    $10,328
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    20
    Earned a year, estimated
    $41,300
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Degree at Kaskaskia College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Registered Respiratory Therapy

    Southeastern Community College

    West Burlington, IA

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Southeastern Community College, West Burlington, IARespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Classes are outside Illinois; Illinois approved the program for its funding.

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    School website, Registered Respiratory Therapy at Southeastern Community College
    More details about Registered Respiratory Therapy at Southeastern Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    School website, Registered Respiratory Therapy at Southeastern Community College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personPrerequisite courses

    Respiratory Care

    Malcolm X College

    Chicago

    Accredited school

    Prerequisite courses

    Malcolm X College, ChicagoRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Malcolm X College
    More details about Respiratory Care at Malcolm X College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Malcolm X College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personEducation and courses

    Respiratory Care (AAS)-NU600

    Joliet Junior College

    Joliet

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Joliet Junior College, JolietRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care (AAS)-NU600 at Joliet Junior College
    More details about Respiratory Care (AAS)-NU600 at Joliet Junior College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care (AAS)-NU600 at Joliet Junior College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Respiratory Care AAS

    Elgin Comm. College District #509

    Elgin

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Elgin Comm. College District #509, ElginRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care AAS at Elgin Comm. College District #509
    More details about Respiratory Care AAS at Elgin Comm. College District #509
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    64 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care AAS at Elgin Comm. College District #509

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care AAS

    Rock Valley College

    Rockford

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Rock Valley College, RockfordRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care AAS at Rock Valley College
    More details about Respiratory Care AAS at Rock Valley College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    130 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care AAS at Rock Valley College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personPrerequisite courses

    Respiratory Care AAS Degree

    College Of DuPage

    Glen Ellyn

    Accredited school

    Prerequisite courses

    College Of DuPage, Glen EllynRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care AAS Degree at College Of DuPage
    More details about Respiratory Care AAS Degree at College Of DuPage
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    120 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care AAS Degree at College Of DuPage

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personEducation and courses

    Respiratory Care Degree

    Lincoln Land Community College

    Springfield

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Lincoln Land Community College, SpringfieldRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care Degree at Lincoln Land Community College
    More details about Respiratory Care Degree at Lincoln Land Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care Degree at Lincoln Land Community College

  • Respiratory therapy program (level not stated)HybridEducation and courses

    Respiratory Care Program

    Parkland College

    Champaign

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Parkland College, ChampaignRespiratory therapy program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolHybrid · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care Program at Parkland College
    More details about Respiratory Care Program at Parkland College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care Program at Parkland College

  • Respiratory therapy program (level not stated)HybridEducation and courses

    Respiratory Care Technology

    Southwestern Illinois College

    Belleville

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Southwestern Illinois College, BellevilleRespiratory therapy program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolHybrid · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Care Technology at Southwestern Illinois College
    More details about Respiratory Care Technology at Southwestern Illinois College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    104 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Care Technology at Southwestern Illinois College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Respiratory Therapy AAS

    St. Louis College Of Health Careers

    Fenton, MO

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    St. Louis College Of Health Careers, Fenton, MORespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Classes are outside Illinois; Illinois approved the program for its funding.

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy AAS at St. Louis College Of Health Careers
    More details about Respiratory Therapy AAS at St. Louis College Of Health Careers
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    90 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy AAS at St. Louis College Of Health Careers

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personEducation and courses

    Respiratory Therapy Technology AAS

    Moraine Valley Community College

    Palos Hills

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Moraine Valley Community College, Palos HillsRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Technology AAS at Moraine Valley Community College
    More details about Respiratory Therapy Technology AAS at Moraine Valley Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    96 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Technology AAS at Moraine Valley Community College

How to pay for respiratory therapy programs in Illinois

WIOA funding can pay for respiratory therapy programs in Illinois

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for respiratory therapy programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.78

GI Bill for respiratory therapy programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.9

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Respiratory therapy programs in Chicago, St. Louis, Peoria and other Illinois cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 3 more programs are in 3 other areas.

Other training in Illinois

How respiratory therapy programs compare with the rest of allied health: Allied health programs in Illinois

Where the Illinois respiratory therapy program numbers come from

Which Illinois respiratory therapy programs are on this list?

These are the respiratory therapy programs Illinois approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).10 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Illinois offers.

How the prices and results of Illinois respiratory therapy programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the Illinois figures?

The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Illinois among the states with "known data quality concerns".11 We leave out the share who finished for Illinois: only a few programs report it, and those at a typical 11%. We leave out prices for Illinois: the state files a code in place of each price, so no price can be shown.

Sources for the facts about respiratory therapy programs in Illinois

Show the 11 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Respiratory Therapists
  2. National Board for Respiratory Care: Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT)
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  8. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  9. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  10. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List
  11. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: search page, note on states with known data quality concerns