Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Champaign, IL: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Champaign, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $74.7K, 9% under the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $68.4K to $100.8K.

Pay

The median is the middle of respiratory therapists already employed, not a starting wage. The 25th is the lower quarter of that group. The 75th is what the upper quarter already earns.

Percentile	Metro	IL	U.S.
25th	$68,410	$77,440	$74,520
Median	$74,660	$84,090	$82,280
75th	$100,810	$96,260	$98,730

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

3.6

Metro employment

120

National growth, 2025 to 2035

8.5%

National openings a year

8.6 thousand

This is the same score as the free check.

Who's hiring

Carle Foundation Hospital, 2 campuses
Beaumont Small Animal Clinic, 1 campuses
Carle Clinic Association, 1 campuses
Carle Sports Medicine, 1 campuses
Gibson Area Hospital, 1 campuses
Gibson Community Hospital Association, 1 campuses

Campuses on file in the provider extract, not live job ads.

License and training

Every state except Alaska licenses respiratory therapists. Most employers want the NBRC's CRT or RRT credential. Confirm your state board's rules before you hire or start.

Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, respiratory therapists

The work

You see your assigned patients, check each ventilator, give treatments, and adjust settings with the physician and the nurse. Codes and rapid responses can interrupt that plan at any hour.

Night shifts are common in hospital work, and weekends rotate. You also teach patients and families how to use oxygen and other equipment at home.

Nearby metros

Bloomington, IL · 44 miles
Kankakee, IL · 72 miles
Springfield, IL · 76 miles
Lafayette, IN · 77 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Champaign.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Champaign?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Champaign, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Carle Foundation Hospital, Beaumont Small Animal Clinic, Carle Clinic Association.

Do I need a license to work as an RT in Illinois?

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the Illinois board before you start in Champaign.

What should a hospital in Champaign weigh when hiring an RT?

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Champaign has far more of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 11% under the Illinois median.