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Respiratory therapy programs in Kentucky

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

10 schools offer these respiratory therapy programs, and Kentucky 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 Kentucky, all 12 programs take students without a high school diploma.

By kind, the 12 programs here are respiratory therapy (associate degree, 8 programs) and respiratory therapy program (level not stated, 4 programs).

See the 12 programs

How much do respiratory therapy programs cost in Kentucky?

$11,703 to $13,058 is what most respiratory therapy programs in Kentucky cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 7 programs with a price. All of them: $11,424 to $23,380

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
4 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5

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

Are there free respiratory therapy programs in Kentucky?

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

All 12 respiratory therapy programs in Kentucky approved for WIOA funding

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12 programs

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care

    Southeast KY Community and Technical College

    Cumberland

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Southeast KY Community and Technical College, CumberlandRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$23,300
    Price if you pay yourself$12,136

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Respiratory Care at Southeast KY Community and Technical College
    More details about Respiratory Care at Southeast KY Community and Technical College
    Finished
    52%
    Working at 6 months
    68%
    Earned in a quarter
    $5,837
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    $3,000
    Students counted
    180
    Earned a year, estimated
    $23,300
    Price if you pay yourself
    $12,136
    students trained with WIOA funding
    3
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Southeast KY Community and Technical College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    respiratory care

    Bluegrass Community and Technical College

    Lexington

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Bluegrass Community and Technical College, LexingtonRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$22,100
    Price if you pay yourself$11,424
    Program website, respiratory care at Bluegrass Community and Technical College
    More details about respiratory care at Bluegrass Community and Technical College
    Finished
    58%
    Working at 6 months
    84%
    Earned in a quarter
    $5,524
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    $4,024
    Students counted
    132
    Earned a year, estimated
    $22,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $11,424
    Program website, respiratory care at Bluegrass Community and Technical College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care- Respiratory Therapist- AAS

    Somerset Community College

    Somerset

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Somerset Community College, SomersetRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$34,500
    Price if you pay yourself$11,900
    Program website, Respiratory Care- Respiratory Therapist- AAS at Somerset Community College
    More details about Respiratory Care- Respiratory Therapist- AAS at Somerset Community College
    Finished
    68%
    Working at 6 months
    77%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,631
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    $4,902
    Students counted
    109
    Earned a year, estimated
    $34,500
    Price if you pay yourself
    $11,900
    Program website, Respiratory Care- Respiratory Therapist- AAS at Somerset Community College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care

    Madisonville Community College

    Madisonville

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Madisonville Community College, MadisonvilleRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$14,100
    Price if you pay yourself$13,366

    4 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Respiratory Care at Madisonville Community College
    More details about Respiratory Care at Madisonville Community College
    Finished
    43%
    Working at 6 months
    71%
    Earned in a quarter
    $3,515
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    $2,550
    Students counted
    104
    Earned a year, estimated
    $14,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $13,366
    students trained with WIOA funding
    4
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Madisonville Community College

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Therapy Associate's Degree

    Shawnee State University

    Portsmouth, OH

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, OHRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

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

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$23,380
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Associate's Degree at Shawnee State University
    More details about Respiratory Therapy Associate's Degree at Shawnee State University
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    $2,400
    Students counted
    19
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $23,380
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Associate's Degree at Shawnee State University

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care

    Maysville CTC

    Maysville

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Maysville CTC, MaysvilleRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out

    12 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Respiratory Care at Maysville CTC
    More details about Respiratory Care at Maysville CTC
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    12
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    students trained with WIOA funding
    12
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Maysville CTC

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care

    Elizabethtown Community and Technical College

    Elizabethtown

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, ElizabethtownRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$11,506
    School website, Respiratory Care at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
    More details about Respiratory Care at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    $1,500
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $11,506
    School website, Respiratory Care at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College

  • Respiratory therapy program (level not stated)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care

    Ashland Community and Technical College

    Ashland

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Ashland Community and Technical College, AshlandRespiratory therapy program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$12,750
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Ashland Community and Technical College
    More details about Respiratory Care at Ashland Community and Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    2 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,500
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $12,750
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Ashland Community and Technical College

  • Respiratory therapy program (level not stated)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care

    Big Sandy Community And Technical College

    Prestonsburg

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Big Sandy Community And Technical College, PrestonsburgRespiratory therapy program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Big Sandy Community And Technical College
    More details about Respiratory Care at Big Sandy Community And Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Left out
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported
    Program website, Respiratory Care at Big Sandy Community And Technical College

  • Respiratory therapy program (level not stated)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist

    Collins Career Technical Center

    Chesapeake, OH

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Collins Career Technical Center, Chesapeake, OHRespiratory therapy program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

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

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    More details about Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist at Collins Career Technical Center
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported

  • Respiratory therapy (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant

    Madisonville Community College

    Madisonville

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Madisonville Community College, MadisonvilleRespiratory therapy (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant at Madisonville Community College
    More details about Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant at Madisonville Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported
    Program website, Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant at Madisonville Community College

  • Respiratory therapy program (level not stated)In personNo diploma needed

    Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant

    Southeast KY Community and Technical College

    Harlan

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Southeast KY Community and Technical College, HarlanRespiratory therapy program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    School website, Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant at Southeast KY Community and Technical College
    More details about Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant at Southeast KY Community and Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported
    School website, Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant at Southeast KY Community and Technical College

How to pay for respiratory therapy programs in Kentucky

WIOA funding can pay for respiratory therapy programs in Kentucky

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 Kentucky

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
8th of 16
respiratory therapy programs here, against the typical state's 4
12 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 Madisonville, Huntington, Lexington and other Kentucky cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 1 more program is in 1 other area, 3 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in Kentucky

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

Where the Kentucky respiratory therapy program numbers come from

Which Kentucky respiratory therapy programs are on this list?

These are the respiratory therapy programs Kentucky 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 Kentucky offers.

How the prices and results of Kentucky 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 Kentucky

Show the 10 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