Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Jacksonville, FL
Respiratory therapists in Jacksonville earn a metro median of about $39 an hour, and Mayo Clinic posts RT roles paying up to $48.66. Baptist Health hires from its Downtown campus to Wolfson Children's NICU. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get licensed in Florida.
Current respiratory therapist Openings in Jacksonville, FL
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Respiratory Therapist Work in Jacksonville
Most respiratory therapy jobs in Jacksonville are hospital jobs. Baptist Health staffs RTs at Baptist Downtown on the Southbank, Baptist South off I-95, its Town Center emergency department and Wolfson Children's Hospital, where neonatal and pediatric ICUs need therapists comfortable with the smallest patients. Mayo Clinic Florida, on San Pablo Road off JTB, hires for inpatient care, bronchoscopy and an outpatient pulmonary function lab, and it also hires respiratory therapy assistants. Rehabilitation hospitals add steady work with patients weaning off ventilators.
Jacksonville is a good market for therapists who want variety without moving. The city's large systems run day and night 12-hour shifts, PRN pools and weekday outpatient lab schedules, so you can shape your hours. Commuters from Clay and St. Johns counties can reach Baptist South and Mayo along I-95, I-295 and JTB without crossing downtown.
Top Jacksonville Employers Hiring Respiratory Therapists
These employers have posted respiratory therapist jobs in Jacksonville on their own career sites:
- Baptist Health - hires registered respiratory therapists at Baptist Downtown, South, Town Center and Wolfson Children's NICU, with sign-on bonuses up to $1,000 on some PRN roles.
- Mayo Clinic Florida - posts inpatient, lead and pulmonary function lab RT roles, with the lab job paying $32.43 to $48.66 an hour on a four-day week.
- North Florida Rehabilitation Hospital - the Lifepoint Health rehab hospital hires PRN registered and certified respiratory therapists.
UF Health Jacksonville, Ascension St. Vincent's and HCA Florida Memorial also employ respiratory therapists, but their job searches could not be read this month, so check our live listings above for their openings.
Respiratory Therapist Salaries in Jacksonville
- Entry level: about $31 to $36 an hour for newly licensed therapists.
- Experienced: roughly $37 to $40 an hour with the RRT credential.
- Senior and specialty: $41 to $48 an hour for lead, neonatal, pulmonary function and bronchoscopy roles.
These are estimates built from BLS 2025 wage data for the Jacksonville metro, where the median is about $39.31 an hour, and from Mayo Clinic's posted range. Pay moves with the RRT credential over CRT, night and weekend differentials, PRN premiums, and specialty work in NICU, ICU or the pulmonary lab.
How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in Jacksonville
You need to graduate from an accredited respiratory therapy program, earn the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), and get licensed by the Florida Board of Respiratory Care. The board requires official NBRC verification, electronic fingerprinting and $105 in fees with the application. Locally, Florida State College at Jacksonville offers the Respiratory Care A.S., a 76-credit, CoARC-accredited program whose graduates sit for the NBRC exams, with a 95% low-cut pass rate reported for 2026.
What the Job Involves
Respiratory therapists assess breathing, run and adjust ventilators, give breathing treatments and oxygen therapy, and draw and analyze arterial blood gases. You respond to codes and rapid responses, help wean patients off ventilators, manage tracheostomies and CPAP or BiPAP, and teach patients and families how to use home equipment. In a pulmonary function lab you test lung capacity on scheduled outpatients instead.
Skills Employers Look For
- Florida respiratory care license
- RRT credential, or CRT with RRT expected within a year
- BLS and ACLS, with PALS or NRP for pediatric and NICU roles
- Ventilator management and ABG analysis
- Quick, calm response in codes and rapid responses
- Clear teaching for patients and caregivers
- Accurate charting in the electronic health record
Career Path and Advancement
Many Jacksonville therapists start as CRTs on general floors and earn the RRT within their first year, then move into ICU, neonatal or pediatric care at Wolfson Children's, or into pulmonary function and bronchoscopy at Mayo. Lead therapist and supervisor roles follow, and some therapists move into education, sleep medicine or home respiratory care management.
Related Careers in Jacksonville
If respiratory care interests you, these related Jacksonville roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a respiratory therapist in Florida?
Yes. The Florida Board of Respiratory Care licenses therapists, and you need the NBRC's CRT or RRT credential to apply. Mayo Clinic requires the Florida license before your first day.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Jacksonville?
BLS 2025 data puts the Jacksonville metro median at about $39.31 an hour, or $81,760 a year. New therapists usually start in the low to mid $30s, and specialty roles at Mayo Clinic are posted up to $48.66 an hour.
Where can I study respiratory therapy in Jacksonville?
Florida State College at Jacksonville offers the Respiratory Care A.S., a CoARC-accredited, limited-access program. Graduates sit for the NBRC exams that lead to the CRT and RRT credentials.
What is the difference between a CRT and an RRT?
Both are NBRC credentials that qualify you for a Florida license. The RRT requires passing the clinical simulation exam on top of the multiple-choice exam, and Jacksonville hospitals such as Baptist and Mayo prefer or require it.
What shifts do respiratory therapists work in Jacksonville?
Hospital RTs usually work 12-hour day or night shifts, including some weekends and holidays. Outpatient roles like Mayo Clinic's pulmonary function lab run weekday 10-hour shifts with no weekends.
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