State Licensure Information
Respiratory Therapist National Credentialing and Licensure Practice Requirements
Federal rules require that Salisbury University make it clear to students whether or not the degree they are earning complies with the certification/licensing requirements in a given locale, if known.
Students interested in becoming a Respiratory Therapist must note that the Salisbury University degree in Respiratory Therapy is NOT, by itself, sufficient to be employed in the profession in all locations. Passing external credentialing exams maybe required, and the professional licensing requirements vary from state to state and country to country. Please refer to the information below for a summary of licensing requirements as of 2022 in the USA for Respiratory Therapist to assist you in determining the adequacy of this degree for your preferred place(s) of employment.
It is important for students to review the academic requirements for the RT program at SU, including those related to practicum/internship as well as pre-qualifications for licensure such as the need for a criminal background check and drug testing. Similarly, they should also contact the applicable licensure board(s) in their state of residence or in the state where they intend to obtain a license before beginning an academic program that results in licensure and prior to beginning any internship/practicum.
As noted, it is typical for municipalities, states, territories and countries to have requirements beyond degree completion for licenses, and their requirements, policies, regulations and/or laws can change at any time. While the information provided here will be reviewed periodically, it is not possible for SU to continuously monitor these changes. Both prospective and enrolled students are strongly urged to be proactive in monitoring the rules in any locations where they may hope to work after graduation. The SU RT Program does not guarantee that any particular licensure or certification entity will approve or deny a student’s application, but it does have a history of assisting students with appropriate documentation to facilitate successful application when possible
- Additional information on national credentialing can be found here: About - The National Board for Respiratory Care (nbrc.org)
- Information about individual state requirements can be found here: Respiratory Therapist State Licensure Contacts - AARC
The information provided is a good faith effort to provide the relevant information for the other 49 states as of 2022. Students should always contact the appropriate regulatory body for any state(s) in which they hope to work for the most current information. Students interested in practicing outside of the USA should refer to the regulations for the country(s) in which they hope to practice before committing to the degree at SU.