Pays $35.5-$53.25/hrRespiratory Therapist market median is ~$85k (9 jobs) · Top 25% in Respiratory Therapy for work-life (6.4/10, vs 3,713 in this specialty)

American Addiction Centers logo
American Addiction Centers
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Lead Respiratory Therapist (RT)

Respiratory Therapist Top 25% in Respiratory TherapyNo callFull-Time
Posted 47m ago · Verified live

About the Role

Lead Respiratory Therapist. Nights, 4x10 schedule. No assigned holidays. Loan forgiveness up to $21K. Milwaukee, WI.

Join Advocate Health as a Lead Respiratory Therapist – Nights, Loan Forgiveness in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Department: 36402 Aurora St. Lukes Medical Center - Respiratory Therapy Services Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hours Per Week: 36 Schedule Details/Additional Information: (4) 1700-0230 shifts per week with flexibility.

Benefits & Compensation

  • Pay rate: $35.50 - $53.25/hour.
  • Student loan repayment assistance.
  • Paid Time Off Programs
  • Health and Welfare Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life)
  • Short- and Long-Term Disability
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Adoption Assistance
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Defined Contribution Retirement Plans with Employer Match
  • Educational Assistance Program

Work Schedule

  • Full-Time position.
  • On-site position.
  • No call required.
  • Weekend coverage may be required.

This position offers no call requirements, student loan benefits. Work with Advocate Health in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.

Key Responsibilities

The Lead Respiratory Therapist oversees daily operations, acts as a clinical resource, and collaborates with leadership to ensure patient safety and quality outcomes. They perform specialized respiratory treatments, manage equipment, and provide education to patients and staff.

Requirements

Candidates must hold an Associate's Degree in Respiratory Therapy, an active RRT credential, and a state RCP license. A minimum of 3 years of experience in respiratory care is typically required.

Qualifications

Education
Associate degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

BLS

Key Skills

Respiratory therapyPatient safetyVentilator operationPulmonary diagnosticsClinical leadershipCritical careEquipment maintenancePatient educationConflict resolutionCommunicationProblem solvingBlood gas analysisHemodynamic monitoringBedside proceduresClinical problem solving

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Lead Respiratory Therapist (RT) at American Addiction Centers a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Respiratory Therapy — ranked against 3,713 active Respiratory Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

In Wisconsin, the Respiratory Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$85k (52 salary observations; 225 listings), vs ~$83k nationally (1,964 salary observations; 8,877 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

Of the 40 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 30% have no call, 33% require no weekends.

Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$92k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $98k in an average-cost state. 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Position Insights

AI ANALYSIS

This role scores 6.4/10 on work-life balance for Respiratory Therapist roles. No call coverage keeps hours predictable.

Career trajectory: This position offers advancement within 2-3 years. The compensation analysis shows this employer pays...

Benefits analysis: Compared to 9 similar roles, this listing's benefits package ranks...

Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs

6 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution6 jobs

2
<$95k
2
$100k
1
$136k
1
$165k

Annual compensation range

#1

Internal Temporary Traveler Respiratory Therapist Program

Beth Israel Lahey Health · Burlington, Vermont

$144,269 - $165,485/year
#2

Respiratory Therapist

Northwell · Terryville, New York

$80k-$136k
#3

CCT Respiratory Therapist

$80k-$100k
#4

CCT Respiratory Therapist

$80k-$100k
+ 4 more · ranked by pay
American Addiction Centers logo

About American Addiction Centers

Hospitals and Health Care
Brentwood, Tennessee
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Paid Time Off Programs
Health and Welfare Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life)
Short- and Long-Term Disability
Flexible Spending Accounts
Adoption Assistance
Paid Parental Leave
Defined Contribution Retirement Plans with Employer Match
Educational Assistance Program