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UW Health
Madison, Wisconsin

Respiratory Therapist / Respiratory Therapist Resident

Respiratory TherapistIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$34.43-$51.65/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Weekend work is also flagged as required; confirm which days and how often.

Ask the employer about the work setting and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Work Schedule: Various FTE and shifts available, typically rotating 8 or 12-hour day/evening, evening/night, or day/night shifts. Every other weekend, holiday, and on-call rotation required. If 100% FTE: Monday - Friday, evening shift. This posting represents all available Respiratory Therapist and Resident openings with UW Health. There are positions available in multiple specialties/areas.

Pay

  • These positions may be eligible for up to a $5,000 or $20,000 sign-on bonus (pro-rated based on FTE).

Additional Components of Compensation May Include

  • Evening and night shift differential
  • Weekend differential
  • On-call pay
  • Relocation assistance may be available for qualified applicants.

Be Part of Something Remarkable

Join our remarkable Respiratory Therapy team that works tirelessly every day to save lives.

We are seeking a Respiratory Therapist (RT) or Respiratory Therapist Resident to:

  • Provide treatment and diagnostic respiratory services to patients.
  • Work at an ECMO Center of Excellence and Level 1 Trauma Center.
  • Be an important member of an interdisciplinary team to ensure high-quality patient care.
  • Act as a resource to physicians and health care professionals.
  • Gain experience within the organization and seek growth opportunities, which may include senior/lead roles and ECMO Specialist positions.

At UW Health, You Will Have

  • An excellent benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, two-week paid parental leave and adoption assistance.
  • Options for a variety of schedules and shifts that offer flexibility and allow for work-life balance.
  • Access to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being.
  • Tuition benefits eligibility - UW Health invests in your professional growth by helping pay for coursework associated with career advancement.
  • The opportunity to earn a referral bonus for referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions.

Education

  • Minimum – Associate's Degree Graduate of a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited School for Respiratory Therapy within the last year required
  • Preferred – Associate's Degree Graduate of a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited School for Respiratory Therapy

Work Experience

  • Preferred – Recent Respiratory Therapist experience

Certifications

Minimum –

  • Must obtain Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license in the State of Wisconsin within 3 months of hire required.
  • Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) Credentialed by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) upon hire required.
  • Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialed by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) within 6 months of hire required.
  • CPR/Basic Life Support (BLS) upon hire required

Preferred –

  • Licensed as a Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) in the State of Wisconsin upon hire required.
  • Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) upon hire required.
  • Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) upon hire required.
  • BLS/CPR Certified upon hire required
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Certification within 18 months required (if adult position)
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Certification within 18 months required (If pediatrics position)
  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) Certification within 6 months required (If pediatrics position)

Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging

UW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day.

It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

University Hospital in Madison is a Magnet®-designated facility that’s ranked Wisconsin’s #1 hospital and considered one of the nation's leading hospitals, teaching institutions and referral centers.

American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin—also a Magnet®-designated facility—provides specialized care in a healing environment designed especially for pediatric patients and their families.

American Family Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive pediatric medical and surgical center, with nationally recognized pediatric specialists in a wide range of fields. It is also home to our Level One Pediatric Trauma Center and Level IV NICU, which cares for the tiniest patients throughout Wisconsin and beyond.

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(Respiratory Therapist Resident)

  • View Full Job Description
  • (Respiratory
  • Therapist)

UW Hospital and Clinic Benefits

Key Responsibilities

Provide treatment and diagnostic respiratory services to patients within a Level 1 Trauma Center and ECMO Center of Excellence. Act as a key member of an interdisciplinary team to ensure high-quality patient care and serve as a resource to other healthcare professionals.

Requirements

Candidates must hold an Associate's Degree from a CoARC accredited school and obtain a Wisconsin Respiratory Care Practitioner license within 3 months. Required certifications include CRT, RRT, and BLS, with additional specialty certifications required based on the specific unit.

Qualifications

Education
Associate degree

Key Skills

Diagnostic servicesECMO supportInterdisciplinary collaborationCritical care

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Respiratory Therapist / Respiratory Therapist Resident at UW Health a 6.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Respiratory Therapy — ranked against 3,994 active Respiratory Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc.

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

In Wisconsin, the Respiratory Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$83k (47 salary observations; 287 listings), vs ~$85k nationally (1,762 salary observations; 11,701 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 45% have no call, 57% require no weekends.

Respiratory Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score6.2 / 10 · top 25% in respiratory therapyranked against 3,994 Respiratory Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$72k–$107kRespiratory Therapy median $86k (middle half $79k–$89k)21 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Wisconsin vs national$83k median in Wisconsin$85k nationally (−2%)47 state / 1,762 national salary observations
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$95k in purchasing powerWisconsin index 94.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Respiratory Therapy listings in Wisconsin99 active3,962 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 45% no call · 57% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repayment$20k sign-onWisconsin healthcare professional listings: 31% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 7% offer loan repayment102 active listings, Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (3,994 Respiratory Therapy listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs

23 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

23 jobs · 13 employers
9
<$85k
4
$85k-100k
6
$100k-115k
2
$115k-130k
2
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

17 jobs · 13 employers
401k / retirement match
88% this job
Sign-on bonus
59% this job
Loan repayment
24%
PSLF eligible
18%
Relocation assistance
12% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist – CRT/RRT

Garnet Health · Middletown, New York

$45.05 - $63.70/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist II

Olympic Medical Center · Port Angeles, Washington

$41.41-$62.92/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist (RT), Cardiopulmonary Rehab - Full Time (36hrs/week), Egg Harbor Township

$36.14-$56.23/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist - Providence Kodiak Island

$37.08-$55.62/hr
+ 21 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 6.2
Better work-life than 80% of Respiratory Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,994 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends
UW Health logo

About UW Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Madison, WI
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Up to $20,000 sign-on bonus
Evening and night shift differential
Weekend differential
On-call pay
Relocation assistance may be available
Health and dental insurance
Paid time off
Retirement plans

Living in Madison

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$430k
Typical market rent
$1,837/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.3
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Madison, WI metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.