UTMB respiratory therapy program costs $32,594. Here is how its graduates do.
A MS program in Galveston, 2 years full time, 75 credit hours. 28 of its 31 graduates earned the RRT credential over 2022 to 2024.
The short version
- Its RRT credential rate (90.3%) is above the Texas program median of 77.1%.
- 100% of graduates looking for work in the field found a job, by CoARC's measure.
- Its published cost is above 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 4.1 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
About half of every dollar goes to year 1 tuition and fees (46 credit hours). Page says costs may not include books, supplies or travel. Sum of the two stated year totals.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Year 1 tuition and fees (46 credit hours) | $19,489 |
| Year 2 tuition and fees (29 credit hours) | $13,105 |
| Total 1 | $32,594 |
* How we calculated this: The sum of the two yearly tuition-and-fee totals. Books, supplies and travel are not included.
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. Estimated tuition and fees, Texas residents (undated).
What respiratory therapists earn around Houston
The median yearly wage for respiratory therapists in the Houston metro area is $80,450. 3 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
Other respiratory therapy programs in the Houston area
| Program | RRT credential rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston City College AAS, Houston | 93.3% | 96.7% | Not published |
| UTMB (this page) MS, Galveston | 90.3% | 100% | $32,594 |
| Lone Star College, Kingwood AAS, Kingwood | 84.3% | 93.1% | $9,487 |
| Pima Medical Institute, Houston AAS, Houston | 66.7% | 83.3% | $54,358 |
| Alvin Community College AAS, Alvin | 63.9% | 83.3% | $8,441 to $11,549 |
| San Jacinto College, Central AAS, Pasadena | 54.5% | 53.0% | Not published |
| Texas Southern University BS, Houston | 35.0% | 55.0% | Not published |
Program facts
- Credential
- MS
- Length
- 2 years full time, 75 credit hours
- Schedule
- Full time, in person (Galveston)
- Starts
- Spring (Jan 4, 2027) and Fall (Aug 30, 2027)
- Before you apply
- Bachelor's degree plus 16 hours: Anatomy and Physiology (8), Chemistry (4), Microbiology (4); 2.7 GPA minimum.
- Entrance exam
- None
- Accreditation
- CoARC, Continuing Accreditation (next review Nov 2026) (program 200413)
- Leads to
- NBRC credentialing exams (TMC and CSE) for the RRT credential
- Sector
- Public
Sources and dates
- UTMB Respiratory Therapy costs page, Estimated tuition and fees, Texas residents (undated).
- CoARC program outcomes for UTMB, 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