Quick answer: The Lafayette metro employs about 110 respiratory therapists (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state respiratory care board.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Respiratory therapy programs are CoARC-accredited, and credentialing runs through the NBRC: the CRT is the entry credential and the RRT the advanced one that most hospitals now expect. Licensure itself is issued by the state, and the credential it requires varies.
See the Indiana licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state respiratory care board.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 5 schools within 174 miles, nearest first in 25-mile distance bands, then by BOC Score inside each band with the highest at the top. 5 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Respiratory Therapists in the Lafayette area earn a median $80,140 per year, below the national median of $82,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Lafayette metro | Indiana | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $80,140 | $79,730 | $82,280 |
| 10th percentile | $65,510 | $62,730 | $63,660 |
| 25th percentile | $71,100 | $67,760 | $74,520 |
| 75th percentile | $82,800 | $84,960 | $98,730 |
| 90th percentile | $94,720 | $94,980 | $118,050 |
| Employment | 110 | 3,170 | 139,790 |
| Location quotient | 1.25 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metropolitan statistical area.
The Lafayette median of $80,140 is below the national median of $82,280, and above the Indiana statewide median of $79,730 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.25 means respiratory therapists are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, so the local hospital and critical-care capacity is the market.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | $81,720 | 1,230 |
| Fort Wayne | $77,390 | 210 |
| Evansville | $78,990 | 170 |
| South Bend | $79,450 | 110 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
The median annual wage for respiratory therapists in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area is $80,140, below the national median of $82,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area employs about 110 respiratory therapists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Respiratory therapy programs are CoARC-accredited, and credentialing runs through the NBRC: the CRT is the entry credential and the RRT the advanced one that most hospitals now expect. Licensure itself is issued by the state, and the credential it requires varies. Confirm current requirements with your state respiratory care board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state respiratory care board.
The Lafayette metro median is $80,140 against a statewide median of $79,730 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
