Respiratory Therapist Salary in India 2024

A Respiratory Therapist assists individuals experiencing difficulty breathing, particularly those with lung diseases like asthma or bronchitis. They also provide care to premature babies who require assistance in breathing. Using tools such as oxygen masks and breathing machines, these therapists aid patients in improving their lung function.

Respiratory therapists are employed in hospitals, clinics, and may even provide home visits. They engage with patients, administer treatments, monitor progress, and educate individuals on equipment usage. In India, respiratory therapy is a crucial profession, especially given the increasing challenges of pollution and smoking-related lung issues.

As the incidence of respiratory problems rises, there is a growing demand for skilled respiratory therapists in both urban and rural areas. This article delves into the roles and responsibilities of respiratory therapists, the required education, and the compensation they receive in India.

Respiratory Therapist Salary in India – Overview

Factors	Average Salary Range (INR)
Freshers	₹1L – ₹2.6L Per Year
Experience (2-5 Years)	₹2.9L – ₹3.7L Per Year
Experienced Collectors (Above 5 year)	Above 5L Per Year
Organisation	Government Organisation: Entry-level: ₹ 8,000 – ₹ 21,000 Mid-level: ₹ 24,000 – ₹ 30,000 Senior-level: ₹ 33,000 – ₹ 35,000 Private Organisations: Entry-level: ₹ 10,000 – ₹ 24,000 Mid-level: ₹ 28,000 – ₹ 34,000 Senior-level: ₹ 50,000 – ₹ 58,000
Geographical Location	Tier 1 City: ₹35,000 Tier 2 City: ₹24,000 Tier 3 City: ₹18,000

Average Salary of a Respiratory Therapist in India 2024

The average annual salary for respiratory therapists in India is approximately ₹2.9 LPA, translating to an estimated monthly take-home pay of ₹20,293 – ₹21,952.

Respiratory therapy is a critical healthcare field where therapists assist individuals with breathing problems across various patient demographics. Their responsibilities include operating specialized equipment and monitoring patient health.

Salaries in this field exhibit a broad range. The lower end sees respiratory therapists in India earning around ₹1L per year, while the highest earners can make up to ₹8.0L annually. The average salary stands at ₹2.9L, representing a decent middle income for healthcare professionals.

Several factors influence salaries, including geographical location. Jobs in metropolitan areas generally offer higher pay compared to smaller towns. Experience level is also a determining factor, with senior therapists earning higher wages than recent graduates. Additionally, the type of employer matters, as hospital positions often provide higher compensation than clinic roles.

Respiratory Therapist Salary in India: Experience Wise

Pay for respiratory therapists goes up with more experience. New grads start around ₹2.5 LPA. After 5 years this increases to ₹3.5 LPA. Senior therapists with 10+ years earn the highest at ₹5-8 LPA. Experience is key to higher pay in this field. We will examine the experience-wise pay and earnings that these medical professionals can expect.

Experience	Average Salary (in INR)
0-1 years	₹2.6 LPA
1-2 years	₹2.9 LPA
2-3 years	₹3.7 LPA
3-4 years	₹3.9 LPA
4-5 years	₹4.7 LPA
5-6 years	₹5.0 LPA
6-7 years	₹6.4 LPA

Department-wise Salary of a Respiratory Therapist in India

Respiratory therapists work in different departments in healthcare. The department impacts their pay. Generally, therapists in critical care units earn higher salaries. Therapists in diagnostic departments and outpatient services have lower pay scales.

The table shows the average salaries of Respiratory Therapist per department for therapists in India.

Industry	Average Salary (in INR)
Healthcare & Life Sciences	₹2.9 Lakhs per Annum
Consulting	₹2.2 Lakhs per Annum
Marketing & Communication	₹3 Lakhs per Annum
Aviation & Aerospace	₹3 Lakhs per Annum
Food, Beverage & Hospitality	₹2.5 Lakhs per Annum

City-wise Salary of a Respiratory Therapist in India

Location impacts the salary for respiratory therapists in India. Pay is highest in major metro areas. Smaller cities and rural areas have lower wages. The table below shows average pay rates in 10 different Indian cities.

Cities	Average Salary (per annum)
Mumbai	₹3.5 LPA
Delhi	₹3.2 LPA
Bangalore	₹3.0 LPA
Hyderabad	₹2.8 LPA
Chennai	₹2.7 LPA
Kolkata	₹2.5 LPA
Pune	₹2.3 LPA
Lucknow	₹2.1 LPA
Kochi	₹2.0 LPA
Indore	₹1.8 LPA

Respiratory Therapist Salary in India: Company-wise

The type of company that employs respiratory therapists also affects pay scales. Therapists working in large hospitals tend to earn higher wages than those in smaller clinics. Government jobs offer better job security but lower pay than private companies.

The table below shows average salaries for Respiratory therapists based on the employer in India.

Hospital	Average Salary (in INR)
Narayana Health	₹3.2 LPA
Apollo Hospitals	₹2.7 LPA
Yashoda Hospitals	₹2.9 LPA
P.D. Hinduja National Hospital And Medical Research Centre	₹2.8 LPA
KIMS Hospital	₹3.6 LPA
Kovai Medical Center And Hospital	₹3.0 LPA
Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital	₹2.1 LPA
Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital	₹2.8 LPA
Christian Medical College	₹2.8 LPA
Manipal Hospitals	₹3.9 LPA

Respiratory Therapist Salary in India: Designation-Wise

Respiratory therapists in India can hold different job titles. Pay often depends on their role and years of experience. This table shows average pay rates for common respiratory therapist designations. Salaries can vary by location and workplace.

Designations	Average Annual Salary
Respiratory Therapist	₹3.5 LPA
Clinical Application Therapist	₹3.55 LPA
Consultant Pulmonologist	₹2.5 LPA
Adult Critical Care Specialist	₹2.93 LPA
Neonatal Respiratory Care Technologist	₹6.30 LPA

How To Become a Respiratory Therapist

Here are the skills required to become a respiratory therapist:

• Patient Care – The most important skill for respiratory therapists is providing compassionate care. They must calm scared patients and build trust. Clear communication is vital to educate and reassure.
• Healthcare Knowledge – Therapists need a solid grasp of procedures, equipment, and lung health. They operate complex devices like ventilators and oxygen machines. Strong clinical knowledge is required to treat breathing issues.
• Testing – Running tests on patients involves technical skills. Therapists must perform assessments like blood gas analysis, pulmonary function tests, and more. They analyse results to guide treatment.
• Monitoring – Careful monitoring of patients ensures respiratory health. Therapists track vitals, oxygen levels, and breathing patterns. Close observation identifies changes needing action.
• Management – Organization and management abilities help therapists handle busy caseloads. They must track data, coordinate care plans, and lead assistant teams. Strong leadership skills are invaluable.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Respiratory Therapist

Here are the key roles and responsibilities of a respiratory therapist:

• Helps people having trouble breathing. Uses special machines to give medicine and oxygen to patients’ lungs so they can breathe better.
• Goes from hospital room to room to check on those with breathing problems. Provides treatments to make sick people more comfortable.
• Knows how to properly use inhalers, masks, and breathing equipment. Shows patients the right way to take their lung medications.
• Look at patients’ test results to see how well their lungs are working. Decide if changes are needed to their care plan.
• Gives fast relief when people feel short of breath. Provides breathing treatments to open up patients’ airways when they feel tight.
• Steps in quickly if someone stops breathing on their own. Uses equipment to restore oxygen levels back to normal.
• Teaches patients and families how to manage breathing illness. Educates them on warning signs to watch for at home.
• Helps connect those unable to breathe to life support machines. Monitors ventilators and responds if problems occur.
• Checks oxygen tanks and devices to ensure proper function. Knows how to adjust equipment settings to match each patient’s needs.
• Works closely with doctors and nurses to develop care plans. Provides regular input and updates on patients’ respiratory health.

Benefits of Becoming a Respiratory Therapist

Becoming a respiratory therapist offers many rewards. Here are some top benefits of this career:

• Interesting Work – Get to use complex equipment, run tests on lungs, provide urgent care. Cases differ so no boring routine.
• Job Options – Work in hospitals, clinics, doctor offices, sleep labs, and home care. Flexibility in role and location.
• Good Income – Pay is very solid given it needs less school than nursing or med school. Income grows the more skilled you get.
• Advancement Possible – Lead teams, manage departments, get specialised certifications. Room to take on more duties.
• Steady Demand – Lung disease is sadly common from COPD to asthma. Therapists hugely help those patients.
• Save Lives – Identify warning signs, restore oxygen levels, keep airways open. Help bring people back from the brink.

Courses to Become a Respiratory Therapist in India

To become a Respiratory Therapist in India, you just need to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Respiratory. Check out the details below:

Program	B.Sc. Respiratory Therapy
Duration	3 years
Curriculum Focus	Biology
Program Overview	Learn to test and treat breathing issues
Eligibility Criteria	12th grade with physics, biology, and chemistry
Minimum Marks	At least 60% overall
Admission Process	Based on grades or national/state entrance exams
	Some colleges conduct their own entrance tests
Year-wise Curriculum	– First Year: Biology basics and introductory lung topics
	– Second Year: Deeper into lung problems, treatments, and advanced testing methods
	– Final Year: Specialization in areas of interest and preparation for clinical rounds in hospitals and clinics
Graduate Responsibilities	Examine lung diseases and assist with breathing issues in patients of all ages
Job Opportunities	Hospitals, labs, doctor offices, and more

Entrances Exams For BSc in Respiratory Therapy

To get into many degree colleges, students must pass an entrance test. Exam scores help decide who gets admitted.

• BITSAT stands for Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test. This college gives the test to select applicants. It covers physics, chemistry, maths, English and logic.
• SRMJEE is the exam for admission to SRM Institute of Science and Technology. It has questions on physics, chemistry, maths and the English language.
• VITEEE is the test at the Vellore Institute of Technology. Students are asked about biology, physics, chemistry and maths topics they learned in school.

For all these exams, students must meet grade and subject criteria first. This makes them eligible to take the test. The higher their scores, the better the chance they get selected by top-choice programs. Getting good marks takes serious preparation and hard work in school. These tests are difficult with many applicants competing for limited course seats.

Top Colleges To Pursue BSc in Respiratory Therapy

Here’s a list of Top Colleges to pursue BSc in Respiratory Therapy in India:

College	Location
1. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS)	Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad
2. SRM Institute of Science and Technology	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
3. Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)	Vellore, Tamil Nadu
4. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)	New Delhi, Delhi
5. Christian Medical College (CMC)	Vellore, Tamil Nadu
6. Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)	Manipal, Karnataka
7. Kasturba Medical College (KMC)	Manipal, Karnataka
8. Osmania Medical College (OMC)	Hyderabad, Telangana
9. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER)	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
10. Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER)	Puducherry

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the starting salary for a Respiratory Therapist in India?

The Freshers or entry-level Respiratory therapists can expect to earn around ₹3.0 lakhs to ₹4.0 lakhs per year.

2. What is the highest salary a Respiratory Therapist can earn in India?

Experienced therapists with specialized skills and working in private hospitals or centers can earn upwards of ₹13.0 lakhs per year.

3. Which cities offer the highest salaries for Respiratory Therapists in India?

Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad are generally known to offer higher salaries compared to other cities.

4. What are the career progression opportunities for Respiratory Therapists in India?

Respiratory Therapists can progress to supervisory roles, specialize in areas like neonatal or critical care, or even pursue teaching or research.