McLennan Community College respiratory therapy program costs $9,419 to $10,607. Here is how its graduates do.
An AAS program in Waco, 2 years, 66 hours. 41 of its 46 graduates earned the RRT credential over 2022 to 2024.
The short version
- Its RRT credential rate (89.1%) is above the Texas program median of 77.1%.
- 95.7% of graduates looking for work in the field found a job, by CoARC's measure.
- Its published cost is at or below the median for Texas respiratory therapy programs that publish one ($10,000).
- At 10% of the local median wage for respiratory therapists, the program cost is paid back in about 1.2 years.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How graduates do
CoARC requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 4
Graduates who earned the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential, divided by all graduates, as reported to CoARC for a three-year period. Job placement: graduates employed in respiratory care (or continuing their education) within the CoARC reporting period, divided by graduates surveyed.
Where the money goes
The school's estimate, in 6 parts. McLennan County resident price; other Texas residents pay $10,607 and out-of-state students $14,369. Books and uniforms are not included.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites (tuition and fees) | $1,860 |
| Spring, year 1 | $1,683 |
| Summer, year 1 | $1,123 |
| Fall, year 2 | $1,971 |
| Spring, year 2 | $2,149 |
| Summer, year 2 | $633 |
| Total 1 | $9,419 |
* How we calculated this: Partial: tuition, lab fees and special fees only; books, uniforms and health insurance are not included.
Not included: living costs. Revised 2025.
What respiratory therapists earn around Waco
The median yearly wage for respiratory therapists in the Waco metro area is $75,370. 3 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
Program facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- 2 years, 66 hours
- Schedule
- Fall, spring and summer terms over 2 years with supervised clinical training at central Texas hospitals
- Starts
- Spring, one class per year (apply by Oct 30)
- Before you apply
- ENGL 1301, MATH 1314 or 1342, RSPT 1371, BIOL 2404 (or 2401 and 2402) and RSPT 1227, with a C or better and a 2.75 GPA.
- Entrance exam
- None
- Accreditation
- CoARC, Continuing Accreditation (program 200438)
- Leads to
- NBRC credentialing exams (TMC and CSE) for the RRT credential
- Sector
- Public
Sources and dates
- McLennan Community College Respiratory Care Technology Program Approximate Program Costs, Revised 2025.
- CoARC program outcomes for McLennan Community College, reported July 1, 2025, for Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2024.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Respiratory Therapists (29-1126), May 2025 estimates.
- Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), checked Nov. 2026.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or CoARC. Our independence policy