top of page

Respiratory Care Educational Programs in Pennsylvania

Thank you for your interest in becoming a respiratory therapist!  It's an exciting and rewarding career that is growing.  By visiting this page, you are taking an wise step to gain more information on how to obtain the necessary education in order to become a respiratory therapist.  There are many schools in Pennsylvania that offer programs in Respiratory Care.  However, not all schools are alike and there are pros and cons to attending all of them.  Like any other profession, it is important that you do your homework on the schools you are considering to make sure you pick the one that is best for YOU!  We recommend you pay particular attention to the school's accreditation type, the Respiratory Care program's accreditation status and the program's outcomes data.

Schools In Pennsylvania

All accredited programs in Pennsylvania are listed at the bottom of this page.  Scroll down the page to view the list.

​

School Accreditation

To begin practicing as a licensed respiratory therapist in one of the 48 states that require a license or legal credentialing (including Pennsylvania), you must first obtain a minimum of an Associate’s Degree in an accredited program of Respiratory Care.  In addition, some colleges and universities offer a Bachelor’s Degree as well.  There are currently over 20 programs in respiratory care offered throughout the state and while there are many differences among these programs, if they appear on this page, they meet the necessary accreditation requirements for graduates to sit for the licensing examination.


The word "accreditation" is used often in the Respiratory Care profession.  This is especially true when it comes to colleges and universities that offer respiratory therapy programs.  These schools in Pennsylvania are either regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education or nationally accredited by one of several agencies such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.  Is there a difference?  In a word - YES.   The main difference between the two types of accreditation are that credits earned from institutions that are regionally accredited are more widely accepted and thus more easily transferable.  This is particularly important if you wish to continue your education to earn a higher degree such as a Bachelor degree OR if you would like to transfer to a different respiratory care program.  If you attend a program that is regionally accredited, you will find a much larger number of programs that will accept your completed credits towards to be used towards meeting the higher degree requirements.  If you attend a program in a nationally accredited program, you will only be able to transfer those credits to another nationally accredited program.  For a more detailed explanation of the differences between regional and national accreditation, click here!


Program Accreditation
In addition to a school's accreditation, the respiratory care program itself must be accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).  The schools listed below offer a program in respiratory therapy that has received either "Continuing Accreditation" or "Initial Accreditation".  Other programs may be available in various parts of the state that have received "Provisional Accreditation" from CoARC.  These programs will be listed on this page once they have received their "Initial Accreditation".  For more information on the different types of CoARC accreditation, click here. 

 

Program Outcomes
CoARC requires Respiratory Care programs to submit an annual report of certain outcome measurements.  Click Here to view / download the report showing all schools in Pennsylvania (2017 reporting data).

Respiratory Therapy Programs in Pennsylvania

Programs are listed alphabetically by their location in a PSRC district.  See the PSRC District map below and scroll down the page to view the schools in each district.

 

            West District                             Central District                   East District

NOTE: Click on the name of the school (in blue) to visit their website.   Only schools who's program director is member of the AARC / PSRC are listed on this page.

Provisional Accreditation status denotes a developmental program, in which assurances are expected to be provided that the program may become accredited as programmatic experiences are gained, generally, once graduates have been produced and at least three (3) reporting years of outcomes has been collected and analyzed.  The conferral of Provisional Accreditation also authorizes the sponsor to admit its first class of students.

East District RC Programs

Community College of Philadelphia
Respiratory Care Technology - AS Degree only
1700 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103

Program Director:  Lisa Fielding MEd, RRT-NPS
Phone:  215-751-8423
Email:  lfielding@ccp.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Delaware County Community College Crozer / Chester Medical Center
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree only
One Medical Center Blvd., Upland Chester, Pa. 19013

Program Director:  Patti Curran MEd, RRT, RPFT
Phone:  610-447-2440
Email:  patti.curran@crozer.org
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gwynedd Mercy University
Respiratory Care Program - AS & BS Degrees offered
1325 Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd Valley, Pa. 19437

Program Director:  William F. Galvin MSEd, RRT, CPFT, AE-C, FAARC
Phone:  215-641-5536
Email:  galvin.w@gmercyu.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading Area Community College
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree only
10 South Second St., PO Box 1706, Reading, Pa. 19603-1706

Program Director:  Jenna Sychterz, MEd, RRT, RRT-ACCS
Phone:  610-372-4721 EXT. 5435
Email:  jsychterz@racc.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

West Chester University / Bryn Mawr Hospital
Respiratory Care Program - BS Degree only
130 South Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010

Program Director:  Brian Kellar MS, RRT, RPFT
Phone:  610-526-3347
Email:  kellarb@mlhs.org
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Thomas Jefferson University

Respiratory Care Program - BS Degree Entry into Practice and BS Degree Advancement

901 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

 

Program Director:  Jerin Juby, DMgt, MA, RRT 

Phone:  215-503-5005

Email:  Jerin.Juby@jefferson.edu

Provisional Accreditation for both BS Programs Review July 2023

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Central District RC Programs

Harrisburg Area Community College
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree only
One HACC Drive, Harrisburg, Pa. 17110

Program Director:  Curtis Aumiller MS, MBA, RRT-NPS
Phone: 717-780-2315
Email: rcaumill@hacc.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Luzerne County Community College
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree only
1333 S. Prospect St., Nanticoke, Pa. 18634

Program Director:  Christopher Tino BS, RRT
Phone:  570-740-0467
Email:  ctino@luzerne.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pennnsylvania College of Health Sciences
Program in Respiratory Therapy - AS Degree only
4850 Greenfield Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
 

Program Director:   Joel Benner, M.Ed RRT
Phone: 717-947-6327
Email: jwbenner@pacollege.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Mansfield University of PA
Respiratory Care Program - BS Degree only
Department of Health Sciences, Guthrie Square, Sayre, Pa 18840

Program Director:  Sheila Merrill MS Ed, RRT
Phone:  570-887-4513
Email:  Sheila.Merrill@guthrie.org or smerrill@mansfield.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation

________________________________________________________________________________________________


Millersville University
Program in Respiratory Therapy - BS Degree only (major = Biology)
250 College Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603

Program Director:  Elaine Chrissos BSEd, RRT
Phone: 717-291-8324
Email: Elaine.Chrissos@millersville.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

York College of Pennsylvania
Respiratory Care Program - BS Degree offered
Country Club Road, York, Pa. 17405

Program Director:  Tony Ruppert MS RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, CPFT
Phone: 717-851-2464
Email: truppert@wellspan.org
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation

________________________________________________________________________________________________

​

West District RC Programs

Community College of Allegheny County
Respiratory Therapy - AS Degree only
808 Ridge Ave, Pittsburg, Pa. 15212

Program Director:  Richard Laurent BS, RRT
Phone:  412-237-2704
Email:  rlaurent@ccac.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gannon University / Morosky College of Health Professions & Sciences

Respiratory Care Program - AS & BS Degree, Polysomongraphy certificate offered

University Square, Erie, Pa 16541

 

Program Director:  Mary Reitinger RRT, CPFT

Phone:  814-871-7715

Email:  reitinge001@gannon.edu

Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________


Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Respiratory Care Program - BS Degree
1011 South Drive
Indiana, PA 15705

Program Director:  Jackie Heisler, PhD, RRT
Phone:  724-294-6348
Email:  jheisler@iup.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Laurel Business Institute
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree
11 East Penn Street, Uniontown, PA 1541

Program Director:  April Butchki MEd, RRT, CPFT
Phone: 724-562-1038
Email:  butchkia@laurel.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________


Laurel Technical Institute
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree only
200 Sterling Ave., Sharon, Pa 16146

Program Director:  Mary Mittwede, BSRC, RRT
Phone:  724-983-0700
Email: mittwedem@laurel.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________
 

Mercyhurst University North East
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree only
16 W Division Street, Northeast, PA 16428

Program Director:  Christine Gluvna BS, RRT
Phone:  814-725-6334
Email: CGluvna@mercyhurst.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
________________________________________________________________________________________________
 

Pittsburgh Career Institute
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree only
421 Seventh Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Program Director:  Margaret Brinton, MS, RRT
Phone:  412-281-2600
Email:  pbrinton@pci.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation

________________________________________________________________________________________________


University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree Only
224 Krebs Hall, Johnstown, Pa. 15904

Program Director:  Kurtis Pierce, EdD, RRT
Phone:  814-269-2960
Email:  kpierce@pitt.edu
Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Clarion University
Respiratory Care Program - AS Degree (BS program in Provisional Accreditation status)

1801 W. 1st Street, Oil City, PA 16301

 

Program Director:  Chris Harancher, MS, RRT

Phone:  814-393-1253

Email: CHarancher@clarion.edu

Accreditation Status as of 2/12/21:  Continuing Accreditation

________________________________________________________________________________________________

​​

bottom of page