Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Denver, CO
Denver is home to National Jewish Health, a hospital known for respiratory and immune care, and respiratory therapists across the metro earned a median of about $41 an hour in 2025. Here are the current openings, followed by who hires respiratory therapists in Denver and how to get licensed in Colorado.
Current respiratory therapist Openings in Denver, CO
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Respiratory Therapist Work in Denver
Respiratory care is a specialty Denver takes seriously. National Jewish Health, at 1400 Jackson Street off East Colfax, focuses on respiratory and immune disease, and its Pulmonary Physiology Services team runs breathing tests on a weekday schedule. On the Anschutz Medical Campus in north Aurora, off Colfax and I-225, UCHealth staffs respiratory care for the Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion, with NICU and emergency department assignments, and Children's Hospital Colorado employs registered and senior respiratory therapists for pediatric care. Denver Health, the Level I trauma center on Bannock Street near the Golden Triangle, keeps senior respiratory therapists on nights and PRN.
That mix gives Denver therapists an unusual choice. Hospital roles at Denver Health, UCHealth and Children's Colorado bring critical care, ventilator work and round-the-clock schedules, while National Jewish Health offers weekday diagnostic work in pulmonary physiology with no nights. Colorado also requires a state license, so Denver postings ask for one alongside the national credential.
Top Denver Employers for Respiratory Therapists
These hospitals employ respiratory therapists across the Denver metro:
- National Jewish Health - the respiratory and immunology hospital off East Colfax hires respiratory therapists for Pulmonary Physiology Services on a Monday to Friday day schedule.
- UCHealth - staffs registered respiratory therapists for the Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion in Aurora, including NICU and emergency department assignments.
- Children's Hospital Colorado - hires registered respiratory therapists and senior respiratory therapists for pediatric care on the Anschutz campus in Aurora.
- Denver Health - the city's safety-net hospital and Level I trauma center hires senior registered respiratory therapists for nights and PRN shifts at its main campus.
Respiratory Therapist Salaries in Denver
- Entry level: about $31 to $38 an hour for newly licensed therapists.
- Experienced: roughly $38 to $48 an hour with several years of hospital or critical care work.
- Senior: $48 to $53 an hour for senior, pediatric and specialty therapists.
These are estimates built from BLS figures for the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro, where the median respiratory therapist earned about $41.28 an hour in 2025, and from ranges Denver employers have posted: $31.61 to $47.41 at UCHealth and $33.32 to $44.07 at National Jewish Health. The RRT credential, night and weekend shifts, and pediatric or critical care experience move pay the most.
How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Denver
Colorado licenses respiratory therapists through the Office of Respiratory Therapy Licensure in the Division of Professions and Occupations at the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). To be licensed, you must hold a credential as a certified or registered respiratory therapist from a national credentialing body, which in practice means the NBRC's CRT or RRT. That starts with an accredited associate degree: Pima Medical Institute offers a CoARC-accredited Respiratory Therapy associate program at its Denver campus on Dakin Street, which prepares students for the NBRC Therapist Multiple-Choice exam for the CRT and the Clinical Simulation Exam for the RRT. Denver hospitals also ask for a BLS card; National Jewish Health wants ACLS within 90 days of hire, and UCHealth asks for NRP or PALS within a year for NICU or emergency department assignments.
What the Job Involves
Respiratory therapists assess breathing, manage oxygen therapy and run mechanical ventilators for patients who cannot breathe on their own. They give breathing treatments, draw and analyze arterial blood gases, perform pulmonary function tests, and respond to rapid response calls, codes and high-risk deliveries. They also teach patients with asthma or COPD how to use inhalers and home equipment, and chart every treatment in the medical record.
Skills Employers Look For
- Colorado respiratory therapist license
- NBRC RRT or CRT credential
- BLS, plus ACLS, PALS or NRP by assignment
- Ventilator management and airway care
- Arterial blood gas sampling and analysis
- Calm judgment in codes and critical care
- Patient teaching for asthma and COPD
Career Path and Advancement
Many Denver therapists start on nights or PRN at a hospital such as Denver Health or UCHealth, earn the RRT if they started as a CRT, then specialize in adult critical care, pediatric care at Children's Colorado, or pulmonary diagnostics at National Jewish Health. The ladder runs to senior therapist, clinical educator and respiratory care manager, and some therapists add a bachelor's degree to move into leadership.
Related Careers in Denver
If respiratory care interests you, these related Denver healthcare roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a respiratory therapist in Denver?
Yes. Colorado licenses respiratory therapists through the Office of Respiratory Therapy Licensure at DORA. You need a CRT or RRT credential from a national credentialing body before the state will issue your license.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Denver?
New therapists generally start around $31 to $38 an hour, experienced therapists earn about $38 to $48, and senior or specialty therapists can reach $48 to $53. The 2025 metro median was about $41 an hour.
Do Denver hospitals require the RRT or accept the CRT?
It depends on the employer. UCHealth asks for the RRT, while National Jewish Health accepts either NBRC registration or certification along with a Colorado license. Earning the RRT opens the most doors.
Where can I study respiratory therapy near Denver?
Pima Medical Institute offers a CoARC-accredited Respiratory Therapy associate program at its Denver campus on Dakin Street. The program prepares graduates for both NBRC exams needed for the CRT and the RRT.
What shifts do respiratory therapists work in Denver?
Hospital therapists at Denver Health, UCHealth and Children's Colorado cover patients around the clock, so nights, weekends and PRN shifts are common. Diagnostic roles, such as pulmonary physiology at National Jewish Health, run Monday to Friday days with few weekends.
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