Respiratory therapy programs in Iowa

5 respiratory therapy programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

5 schools offer these respiratory therapy programs, and Iowa has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

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 Iowa, 2 of the 5 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent and 3 ask for earlier courses first.

All 5 are the same kind of program: respiratory therapy (associate degree).

See the 5 programs

How much do respiratory therapy programs cost in Iowa?

$14,210 to $15,903 is what most respiratory therapy programs in Iowa cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 5 programs with a price. All of them: $11,840 to $19,526

In the typical program

Finished the program: 63%
Working 6 months later: 91%
Earned a year, estimated: about $62,100
Length: 74 to 80 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 Iowa may also offer respiratory therapy programs. How these figures are made

Are there free respiratory therapy programs in Iowa?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.³⁴⁵For a degree, the job center first looks at grants such as a federal Pell Grant; WIOA pays toward what they don't cover.⁵
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁶ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁵
Or pay yourself. Most respiratory therapy programs in Iowa cost $14,210 to $15,903. Prices on this page run from $11,840 to $19,526.

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

All 5 respiratory therapy programs in Iowa approved for WIOA funding

5 programs

Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Respiratory Therapy AAS
Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Des Moines Area Community College, AnkenyRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$50,600
Price if you pay yourself$11,840
Program website, Respiratory Therapy AAS at Des Moines Area Community College
More details about Respiratory Therapy AAS at Des Moines Area Community College
Finished
39%
Working at 6 months
97%
Earned in a quarter
$12,641
Length
74 weeks, 22 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,975
Students counted
136
Earned a year, estimated
$50,600
Price if you pay yourself
$11,840
Program website, Respiratory Therapy AAS at Des Moines Area Community College
Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personEducation and courses
Respiratory Therapy AAS
Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids
Accredited school
Education and courses
Kirkwood Community College, Cedar RapidsRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimated$48,300
Price if you pay yourself$15,903
School website, Respiratory Therapy AAS at Kirkwood Community College
More details about Respiratory Therapy AAS at Kirkwood Community College
Finished
40%
Working at 6 months
93%
Earned in a quarter
$12,063
Length
88 weeks, 16 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$7,568
Students counted
116
Earned a year, estimated
$48,300
Price if you pay yourself
$15,903
School website, Respiratory Therapy AAS at Kirkwood Community College
Respiratory therapy (associate degree)HybridPrerequisite courses
Respiratory Care *RESP.AAS
Northeast Iowa Community College
Calmar
Accredited school
Prerequisite courses
Northeast Iowa Community College, CalmarRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · Prerequisite courses
Earned a year, estimated$62,100
Price if you pay yourself$19,526
Program website, Respiratory Care *RESP.AAS at Northeast Iowa Community College
More details about Respiratory Care *RESP.AAS at Northeast Iowa Community College
Finished
63%
Working at 6 months
90%
Earned in a quarter
$15,529
Length
76 weeks, 33 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$4,357
Students counted
51
Earned a year, estimated
$62,100
Price if you pay yourself
$19,526
Program website, Respiratory Care *RESP.AAS at Northeast Iowa Community College
Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personEducation and courses
Respiratory Care
Southeastern Community College
West Burlington
Accredited school
Education and courses
Southeastern Community College, West BurlingtonRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimated$66,200
Price if you pay yourself$14,210
Program website, Respiratory Care at Southeastern Community College
More details about Respiratory Care at Southeastern Community College
Finished
84%
Working at 6 months
91%
Earned in a quarter
$16,544
Length
80 weeks, 26 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$3,165
Students counted
42
Earned a year, estimated
$66,200
Price if you pay yourself
$14,210
Program website, Respiratory Care at Southeastern Community College
Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Associate of Science in Respiratory Care
St. Luke's College
Sioux City
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
St. Luke's College, Sioux CityRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$66,400
Price if you pay yourself$14,400
Program website, Associate of Science in Respiratory Care at St. Luke's College
More details about Associate of Science in Respiratory Care at St. Luke's College
Finished
76%
Working at 6 months
82%
Earned in a quarter
$16,608
Length
72 weeks, 30 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$1,200
Students counted
30
Earned a year, estimated
$66,400
Price if you pay yourself
$14,400
Program website, Associate of Science in Respiratory Care at St. Luke's College

How to pay for respiratory therapy programs in Iowa

WIOA funding can pay for respiratory therapy programs in Iowa

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.

Quick facts: Respiratory therapy programs in Iowa

programs with a price cost under $15,000: 3 of 5
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 11th of 16
other states where the typical program's graduates earned less: 10 of 11
respiratory therapy programs here, against the typical state's 4: 5 vs 4

State comparisons use the same figures as the respiratory therapy programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Respiratory therapy programs in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Burlington and other Iowa cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 1 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in Iowa

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

Where the Iowa respiratory therapy program numbers come from

Which Iowa respiratory therapy programs are on this list?

These are the respiratory therapy programs Iowa 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 Iowa offers.

How the prices and results of Iowa 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.

Sources for the facts about respiratory therapy programs in Iowa

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