Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Illinois

Registered Respiratory Therapist jobs in Illinois are consistently active, with demand concentrated in hospital systems, critical care units, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs at every level from new graduate through senior clinician. Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford are the state's primary hiring centers, with major health systems like Northwestern Medicine, Advocate Health, and OSF HealthCare among the most established employers. Neonatal respiratory care, sleep disorder programs, and mechanical ventilation management are the specialties drawing the most sustained interest from Illinois hiring teams. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles133+
Top employerAdvocate Aurora Health
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring65
Work type100% On-site
Top industryHealthcare

Showing 5 of 133+ Registered Respiratory Therapist jobs

Respiratory Therapist (RRT or CRT)
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Added 1d ago
Respiratory Therapist (RRT or CRT)
Hospital Sisters Health System
Highland, Illinois
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Physicians
$32.58 - $48.87/hr
NRP Certification

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Respiratory Therapist-RRT/CRT
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Added 1d ago
Respiratory Therapist-RRT/CRT
Hospital Sisters Health System
Highland, Illinois
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Physicians
$31.03 - $46.54/hr
BLS Certification

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IMH RGS Respiratory Therapist RRT
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Added 3d ago
IMH RGS Respiratory Therapist RRT
UChicago Medicine
Harvey, Illinois
Allied Health
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
NRP Certification
1,001-5,000

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Respiratory Therapist (RT)
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Added 4d ago
Respiratory Therapist (RT)
Advocate Aurora Health
Barrington, Illinois
Allied Health
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
$35.5 - $53.25/hr
BLS Certification
10,000+

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Respiratory Therapist Registered
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Added 4d ago
Respiratory Therapist Registered
OSF HealthCare
Evergreen Park, Illinois
Allied Health
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
$35.59 - $41.87/hr
CPR Certification
10,000+

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See All 133+ Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Illinois

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Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Chicago
20 jobs
Maywood
5 jobs
Oak Lawn
5 jobs
Libertyville
5 jobs
Evanston
4 jobs
Highland
4 jobs
Belleville
4 jobs
Park Ridge
4 jobs
Arlington Heights
4 jobs

Registered Respiratory Therapist Job Market in Illinois

A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • Advocate Aurora Health18
  • Endeavor Health8
  • Elevate Care6
  • Loyola Medicine5
  • Memorial Health5

Top Industries Hiring

  • Healthcare & Medical Services

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in registered respiratory therapist jobs across Illinois.

  • Active Illinois Respiratory Care Practitioner license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
  • Registered Respiratory Therapist credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care
  • Associate or bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy from a CAAHEP-accredited program
  • Current BLS certification with ACLS preferred for critical care and acute settings
  • Clinical experience with mechanical ventilators, arterial blood gas interpretation, and airway management
  • Strong documentation skills with experience in electronic health record systems used in Illinois hospitals

Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a registered respiratory therapist in Illinois?

To become a registered respiratory therapist in Illinois, you must complete an accredited respiratory therapy program, pass the Registered Respiratory Therapist exam administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care, and then obtain a Respiratory Care Practitioner license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Illinois requires this state license before you can practice legally. Most hospital employers in Illinois also require current BLS certification before your start date.

How much do registered respiratory therapists make in Illinois?

Registered respiratory therapists in Illinois earn a median of about $84,090 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $64,480 for the lowest 10% to over $100,100 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire registered respiratory therapists in Illinois?

Employers hiring registered respiratory therapists in Illinois right now include Advocate Aurora Health, Endeavor Health, and Elevate Care, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Illinois's large integrated health systems tend to hire across multiple campuses, so a single employer may have openings in several metro areas simultaneously.

Which Illinois cities have the most registered respiratory therapist jobs?

Chicago, Maywood, and Oak Lawn have the most registered respiratory therapist openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates the count due to the concentration of academic medical centers, Level I trauma facilities, and specialty hospitals on the North Shore and in the suburbs, while Peoria and Rockford reflect the large regional health systems, particularly OSF HealthCare and Mercyhealth, that anchor those markets.

Are there remote registered respiratory therapist jobs in Illinois?

Yes, but they're rare. Respiratory therapy is a hands-on clinical role requiring direct patient contact, so the vast majority of positions are on-site. About 0% of registered respiratory therapist openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, and those are almost exclusively in areas like pulmonary education, telehealth triage support, or clinical documentation review rather than direct patient care.

How can I get hired as a registered respiratory therapist in Illinois with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is applying to new-graduate respiratory therapy positions at large Illinois health systems that run structured residency or clinical orientation programs, such as those offered through Northwestern Medicine, Advocate Health, and UChicago Medicine. These programs provide supervised rotations across general floor, ICU, and emergency settings. Candidates who complete their Illinois Respiratory Care Practitioner license promptly after graduation and hold current BLS certification are prioritized. Lateral entry from respiratory therapy tech or pulmonary function tech roles at Illinois hospitals also provides a common bridge into registered therapist positions.

Where can I find and apply to registered respiratory therapist jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to registered respiratory therapist jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Find roles that match your experience and credentials and apply directly to the employer without any intermediary steps.

See All 133+ Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Illinois

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