Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Fresno, CA
Respiratory therapists in Fresno work the ICUs, neonatal units and sleep labs of the Valley's biggest hospitals, from Community Regional downtown to Valley Children's across the river in Madera. Posted ranges run from the mid-$30s to about $70 an hour. Here are the current openings, followed by who hires and how to get licensed.
Current respiratory therapist Openings in Fresno, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Respiratory Therapist Work in Fresno
Fresno is the critical-care center for the central San Joaquin Valley, which keeps respiratory therapists busy around the clock. Community Regional Medical Center on Fresno Street is the only Level I trauma center between Los Angeles and Sacramento, and Community Health System also staffs adult therapists at Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital in north Fresno. Saint Agnes Medical Center and the Kaiser Permanente Fresno hospital sit on the north side along Herndon Avenue and Fresno Street.
Pediatric work is the local specialty. Valley Children's Hospital, just north of the San Joaquin River off Highway 41, hires respiratory care practitioners for its NICU and PICU, a cardiopulmonary lab, a sleep lab and a home care team, so Fresno therapists can build a neonatal or pediatric career without leaving the Valley.
Top Fresno Employers for Respiratory Therapists
These Fresno-area hospitals hire respiratory therapists for adult, neonatal and outpatient work:
- Community Health System - hires adult and neonatal respiratory therapists across its Fresno hospitals, including Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital.
- Valley Children's Healthcare - the pediatric hospital in Madera hires respiratory care practitioners for acute care, NICU, sleep lab and home care.
- Kaiser Permanente - the Fresno Medical Center on North Fresno Street employs registered respiratory care practitioners, including on-call night staff.
- Saint Agnes Medical Center - the Trinity Health hospital on Herndon Avenue employs respiratory therapists on 12-hour shifts.
Respiratory Therapist Salaries in Fresno
- Entry level: about $36 to $43 an hour for newly licensed RCPs.
- Experienced: roughly $43 to $55 an hour with critical care or neonatal experience.
- Senior / specialty: $56 to $70 an hour at the top of hospital scales and in union roles.
These are estimates built from posted Fresno ranges and BLS May 2025 data, which puts the Fresno median at $40.07 an hour, below the California median of $50.40. Neonatal and pediatric credentials, night shifts, pulmonary function or sleep lab experience, and union hospital scales all push pay toward the top of the range.
How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Fresno
Respiratory therapists in California need a Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license from the Respiratory Care Board of California. You must finish a CoARC-accredited program with at least an associate degree, earn the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the NBRC, and complete a three-hour board-approved law and ethics course. The local route is Fresno City College's Associate in Science in Respiratory Care, a CoARC-accredited program on University Avenue that admits by lottery once prerequisites are done.
What the Job Involves
Respiratory therapists assess breathing, manage ventilators and oxygen therapy, give nebulizer and inhaler treatments, draw and analyze arterial blood gases, and respond to rapid-response and code calls. In neonatal units they support premature infants; in outpatient settings they run pulmonary function tests and sleep studies, and they teach patients and families how to manage chronic lung disease.
Skills Employers Look For
- California RCP license and NBRC RRT credential
- Mechanical ventilation and airway management
- Arterial blood gas sampling and analysis
- BLS, plus ACLS, PALS or NRP depending on unit
- Calm judgment during codes and rapid responses
- Clear patient and family education
- Bilingual English and Spanish, preferred by several Fresno employers
Career Path and Advancement
Most Fresno therapists start on general adult floors or nights, then specialize in adult critical care, neonatal and pediatric care at Valley Children's, pulmonary function testing or sleep medicine. Credentials such as the Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist or Pulmonary Function Technologist raise pay, and the ladder runs to clinical educator, clinical supervisor and director of respiratory care, roles Fresno-area hospitals post.
Related Careers in Fresno
If respiratory therapy interests you, these related Fresno roles are close matches:
- Registered Nurse Jobs
- Radiologic Technologist Jobs
- Surgical Technologist Jobs
- Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a respiratory therapist in California?
Yes. California requires a Respiratory Care Practitioner license from the Respiratory Care Board of California. Applicants need an associate degree from a CoARC-accredited program, the NBRC RRT credential and a board-approved law and ethics course.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Fresno?
BLS May 2025 data puts the Fresno median at $40.07 an hour. Posted ranges at Fresno-area hospitals run from about $36 an hour for new practitioners to about $70 an hour for experienced registered therapists on union scales.
Where can I study respiratory care in Fresno?
Fresno City College offers an Associate in Science in Respiratory Care, accredited by CoARC. Admission is by random lottery after you finish the prerequisite courses, and the college reported 100% employment for its 2024 graduates.
Is the respiratory therapy exam changing?
Yes. Through December 31, 2026, the RRT comes from passing the NBRC Therapist Multiple-Choice exam at the higher cut score and then the Clinical Simulation exam. From January 1, 2027, candidates take the single NBRC Respiratory Therapy exam and must pass at the higher cut score.
Do Fresno hospitals hire new graduate respiratory therapists?
Some do, but many postings ask for recent experience, especially in critical care and neonatal units. New graduates often start in part-time, per diem or night roles and move into specialty units as they add experience and credentials such as PALS and NRP.
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