Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Miami, FL

Respiratory therapists in Miami earn a metro median near $38.89 an hour, and Jackson Health System, Baptist Health, UHealth, Nicklaus Children's and the Miami VA all run respiratory departments. Here are the current openings, followed by who hires, what it pays and how to get licensed in Florida.

Current respiratory therapist Openings in Miami, FL

Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.

Respiratory Therapist Work in Miami

Most respiratory therapy jobs in Miami sit in the Health District off the 836, where Jackson Memorial and Holtz Children's Hospital on NW 12th Avenue, UHealth Tower and the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center on NW 16th Street all staff therapists around the clock. Neonatal, pediatric and adult intensive care units keep demand steady, and Jackson's Holtz Children's roles ask for PALS and NRP on top of the usual credentials.

Baptist Health South Florida is the other big employer, hiring across its hospitals from Kendall outward and offering sign-on bonuses of up to $25,000 for experienced therapists. Nicklaus Children's adds pediatric pulmonary care, including full-time night shifts, so pediatric specialists have two major employers to choose from.

Top Miami Employers for Respiratory Therapists

These Miami health systems employ respiratory therapists:

• Jackson Health System - the county's public system hires registered respiratory therapists for Holtz Children's Hospital and its adult units at Jackson Memorial.
• Baptist Health South Florida - hires RRTs and CRTs across its hospitals and has offered sign-on bonuses for new graduates and experienced therapists.
• UHealth - University of Miami Health System - staffs registered respiratory therapists at UHealth Tower in the Health District.
• Nicklaus Children's Health System - hires registered respiratory therapists for full-time night shifts in pulmonary care.
• Miami VA Healthcare System - the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center hires respiratory therapists for its Surgery Service on the federal GS scale.

Respiratory Therapist Salaries in Miami

• Entry level: about $31 to $35 an hour for newly licensed therapists.
• Experienced: roughly $35 to $45 an hour with a few years of critical care experience.
• Senior: about $45 to $52 an hour for neonatal, pediatric and lead therapists.

These are estimates built from federal May 2025 wage data for the Miami metro, where the median is $38.89 an hour, checked against posted ranges of $33.09 to $43.02 an hour at Baptist Health and $35 to $55 at Jackson's Holtz Children's. The Miami VA's GS-9 posting listed $70,992 to $92,294 a year. The RRT credential, ICU and neonatal experience and night shifts push pay up.

How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Miami

Florida requires a license from the Florida Board of Respiratory Care, part of the Florida Department of Health. You need the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care, verified directly to the Board, plus Livescan fingerprinting and $105 in state fees. Hospital jobs here usually ask for more: Jackson requires an associate degree and the RRT, and the Miami VA wants a CoARC-accredited program and the RRT. Locally, Miami Dade College offers a two-year Associate in Science in Respiratory Care at its Medical Campus in the Health District, with one start each August.

What the Job Involves

Respiratory therapists treat patients who have trouble breathing. A shift means setting up and managing ventilators, giving breathing treatments and oxygen therapy, drawing and reading arterial blood gases, running pulmonary function tests, responding to rapid responses and codes, helping with intubation and teaching patients how to use inhalers and home equipment.

Skills Employers Look For

• RRT or CRT credential and an active Florida license
• BLS and ACLS, with PALS and NRP for pediatric and neonatal units
• Ventilator management in ICU settings
• Arterial blood gas sampling and analysis
• Calm work during codes and rapid responses
• Spanish and English for patient communication

Career Path and Advancement

Many Miami therapists start in adult units, often on nights, then move into neonatal, pediatric or adult ICU work at Jackson, Holtz Children's, Nicklaus or UHealth. Earning the RRT if you started as a CRT is the first raise. From there the path runs to lead therapist, clinical educator and respiratory therapy supervisor, and the Miami VA offers a set federal ladder with promotion potential to GS-11.

Related Careers in Miami

If respiratory care interests you, these related Miami roles are close matches:

• Registered Nurse Jobs
• Surgical Technologist Jobs
• Radiologic Technologist Jobs
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a license to be a respiratory therapist in Florida?

Yes. The Florida Board of Respiratory Care licenses respiratory therapists. You need the CRT or RRT credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care, fingerprinting and $105 in state fees.

How much do respiratory therapists make in Miami?

The Miami metro median is about $38.89 an hour, according to federal May 2025 wage data. New therapists generally start around $31 to $35 an hour, and senior neonatal or lead therapists can reach $45 to $52.

Should I get the CRT or the RRT?

Aim for the RRT. Jackson, Baptist and the Miami VA all ask for the registered credential on many roles, and the Board advises new graduates expecting an RRT soon to apply for that license only, since switching from CRT later causes delays.

Where can I study respiratory care in Miami?

Miami Dade College offers a two-year Associate in Science in Respiratory Care at its Medical Campus in the Health District. The program starts once a year in August, and graduates sit the National Board for Respiratory Care exams.

Do Miami hospitals offer sign-on bonuses for respiratory therapists?

Yes, at some systems. Baptist Health South Florida has offered up to $25,000 for experienced therapists and $15,000 for full-time new graduates, paid in installments over a two-year commitment.

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