Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Atlanta, GA
Respiratory therapists in metro Atlanta earn a median of about $45.92 an hour, among the best-paid allied health roles in the city. The work spans Pill Hill's adult and pediatric hospitals and the Peachtree Road ICUs. Here are the current openings, followed by who hires and how to get licensed in Georgia.
Current respiratory therapist Openings in Atlanta, GA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Respiratory Therapist Work in Atlanta
Pill Hill in Sandy Springs is the densest stretch of respiratory therapy work in the metro. Northside Hospital Atlanta sits on Johnson Ferry Road beside Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, so adult and pediatric therapists work within a few blocks of each other at GA-400 and I-285. Piedmont Atlanta Hospital on Peachtree Road runs adult, NICU and outpatient pulmonary teams, and Emory Healthcare employs registered therapists across its Atlanta hospitals.
Atlanta is also unusual because it trains therapists at the bachelor's level. Georgia State University's Department of Respiratory Therapy, in the Byrdine F. Lewis College Downtown, was the second university in the country to offer a bachelor's in the field, and Atlanta employers such as Northside and Children's list a BS in respiratory therapy as preferred. Pediatric and neonatal skills are in steady demand thanks to Children's and the NICUs on Peachtree Road and Pill Hill.
Top Atlanta Employers for Respiratory Therapists
These Atlanta hospitals employ registered respiratory therapists across adult, pediatric and neonatal care:
- Northside Hospital - Northside Hospital Atlanta on Johnson Ferry Road hires RRTs on 12-hour day shifts with rotating weekends and no on-call.
- Piedmont Atlanta Hospital - the Peachtree Road hospital hires respiratory therapists for adult, NICU, weekend and outpatient pulmonary roles, and accepts new graduates.
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta - the pediatric system hires RRTs at Scottish Rite on Johnson Ferry Road and asks for PALS within the first year.
- Emory Healthcare - Emory's Atlanta hospitals hire registered respiratory therapists, including PRN roles, with ACLS or NRP in some units.
Respiratory Therapist Salaries in Atlanta
- Entry level: about $34 to $40 per hour for newly licensed RRTs.
- Experienced: roughly $41 to $50 per hour, with night and weekend differentials.
- Senior and specialty: $51 to $57 per hour or more for neonatal, pediatric and lead therapists.
These are estimates based on 2025 federal wage data for the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro, where the median sits near $95,500 a year against about $83,700 statewide. Pay moves with shift, specialty and employer type: night and weekend option schedules pay more, and NICU, pediatric and critical care experience is rewarded at the big systems.
How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Atlanta
Respiratory therapists must be licensed in Georgia. The Georgia Composite Medical Board issues the Respiratory Care Professional (RCP) license, and Atlanta employers require the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) plus BLS, with ACLS, PALS or NRP depending on the unit. You first need an accredited respiratory care degree. Georgia State University's Department of Respiratory Therapy Downtown offers the bachelor's degree, and Chattahoochee Technical College plans to open a Respiratory Care associate degree at its Canton campus, with a first cohort expected in spring 2027.
What the Job Involves
Respiratory therapists evaluate and treat patients who have trouble breathing. Daily work includes setting up and adjusting mechanical ventilators, giving breathing treatments and oxygen therapy, drawing and reading arterial blood gases, responding to rapid response and code calls, assisting with intubation, and teaching patients with asthma or COPD how to manage their condition at home.
Skills Employers Look For
- NBRC RRT credential and Georgia RCP license
- AHA BLS, ACLS and PALS certification
- Ventilator management and airway skills
- Arterial blood gas sampling and analysis
- Neonatal or pediatric experience, often with NRP
- Calm judgment during codes and rapid responses
- Clear patient and family education
Career Path and Advancement
Many Atlanta therapists start on nights or weekends at an adult hospital like Piedmont Atlanta or Northside, then move into critical care, neonatal or pediatric specialties at Children's or a NICU. From there the ladder runs to lead therapist, clinical educator, outpatient pulmonary or sleep lab roles, and respiratory care manager. Georgia State's master's and doctoral tracks open teaching and research roles as well.
Related Careers in Atlanta
If respiratory care interests you, these Atlanta healthcare roles are close matches:
- Registered Nurse Jobs
- Radiologic Technologist Jobs
- Surgical Technologist Jobs
- Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a respiratory therapist in Atlanta?
Yes. Georgia requires a Respiratory Care Professional license from the Georgia Composite Medical Board. Atlanta hospitals also require the NBRC's Registered Respiratory Therapist credential, so plan to earn both before you start.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Atlanta?
Federal 2025 wage data puts the Atlanta metro median near $45.92 an hour, or about $95,500 a year. That runs well above the Georgia median of about $40.24 an hour, and night, weekend and specialty work push pay higher.
Where can you study respiratory therapy in Atlanta?
Georgia State University's Department of Respiratory Therapy, part of the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions Downtown, offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral tracks. Chattahoochee Technical College has announced a Respiratory Care associate degree at its Canton campus, with a first cohort expected in spring 2027.
Can new graduates find respiratory therapy jobs in Atlanta?
Yes. Piedmont Atlanta Hospital has posted respiratory therapist roles that require an associate degree and RRT but no prior experience. Children's and some other systems ask for a year as an RRT, so adult hospital nights are a common first job.
What certifications do Atlanta respiratory therapists need besides the license?
BLS is standard everywhere, and most hospital roles add ACLS. Children's, Piedmont Atlanta and Northside Hospital Atlanta all list PALS on respiratory therapist postings, and NICU positions often prefer NRP.
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