by our College Data Analytics Team
[Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/respiratory-care-therapy-therapist/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong respiratory care therapy/therapist education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for respiratory care therapy/therapist students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in respiratory care therapy/therapist, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in respiratory care therapy/therapist, no school beat Mid South Community College this year. Mid South Community College is a small public school located in the suburb of West Memphis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,126, compared with $4,824 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $31,857.
A rank of #2 makes Northwest Arkansas Community College one of the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Northwest Arkansas Community College is a large public school located in the city of Bentonville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,342, with out-of-state students paying around $5,238. Students borrow a median of $15,500 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Northwest Arkansas Community College earn a median of $59,189 early in their careers. Set against $15,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Black River Technical College earned it the #3 place for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Black River Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Pocahontas. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,776, with out-of-state students paying around $7,488. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $11,154. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Black River Technical College earn a median of $40,193 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southeast Arkansas College earned it the #4 place for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Southeast Arkansas College is a small public school located in the town of Pine Bluff. Students from in state pay about $5,200 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,650. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $48,660. That is a strong return on a $9,500 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes National Park Community College one of the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Set in the suburb of Hot Springs, National Park Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,600, while out-of-state students pay about $7,280. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $14,684 in student loans. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from National Park Community College generally make around $46,093. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Pulaski Technical College came in at #6 for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Pulaski Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of North Little Rock. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,300, while out-of-state students pay about $9,450. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $21,250. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $62,098. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.