2026 Best Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in Illinois
Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools to find the best for respiratory care therapy/therapist students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist in Illinois
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist
Leading the list is Rush University, our #1 school for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Rush University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Rush University awarded about 22 respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their respiratory care therapy/therapist degree from Rush University earn around $97,356 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $35,578.
See the full respiratory care therapy/therapist program report for Rush University
Students looking for a strong respiratory care therapy/therapist program will find one at College Of Dupage, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Glen Ellyn, College Of Dupage is a very large public institution. About 19 respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at College Of Dupage in the most recent year. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of College Of Dupage earn a median of $58,004 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $14,349 to complete this degree.
See the full respiratory care therapy/therapist program report for College Of Dupage
City Colleges Of Chicago Malcolm X College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in respiratory care therapy/therapist, ranking #3. City Colleges Of Chicago Malcolm X College is a large public school located in the city of Chicago. About 17 respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees were awarded at City Colleges Of Chicago Malcolm X College in the most recent year. Students who receive their respiratory care therapy/therapist degree from City Colleges Of Chicago Malcolm X College earn around $46,222 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $12,924.
More information about a degree in respiratory care therapy/therapist from City Colleges Of Chicago Malcolm X College
A rank of #4 makes Illinois Central College one of the top schools for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Located in the suburb of East Peoria, Illinois Central College is a large public university. There were roughly 13 respiratory care therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at Illinois Central College in the most recent data year. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Illinois Central College earn a median of $56,637 early in their careers. Illinois Central College graduates carry a median of $9,750 in student loans.
See the full respiratory care therapy/therapist program report for Illinois Central College
Kaskaskia College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best respiratory care therapy/therapist schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the rural area of Centralia. There were roughly 10 respiratory care therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at Kaskaskia College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their respiratory care therapy/therapist degree from Kaskaskia College earn around $45,658 in the first couple years of their career. Kaskaskia College graduates carry a median of $7,875 in student loans.
Read more about the respiratory care therapy/therapist program at Kaskaskia College
Rock Valley College came in at #6 for respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Located in the city of Rockford, Rock Valley College is a moderately-sized public university. Rock Valley College awarded about 16 respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the respiratory care therapy/therapist program make about $41,080 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,236.
See the full respiratory care therapy/therapist program report for Rock Valley College
Saint Augustine College earned the #7 position for respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Saint Augustine College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The six-year graduation rate is 20%. There were roughly 25 respiratory care therapy/therapist students who graduated with this degree at Saint Augustine College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Saint Augustine College generally make around $34,201. Typical student debt for the program is $4,974.
More information about a degree in respiratory care therapy/therapist from Saint Augustine College
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 15 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
