Pre-Professional Respiratory Care
Degrees and Programs
The Respiratory Care program is offered in cooperation with Southeast Community College in Lincoln.
Courses and Program Options
You may complete over 30 credit hours at Northeast to qualify for admission into the SECC program. Application is made during the final semester of completing pre-requisite courses. By applying for the distance program at SECC, you are able to complete the program within this geographical region. In the SECC Respiratory Care distance program, all course work is done online. Laboratory and clinical education is arranged by agreement with area hospitals and care facilities. SECC admits students in July for this eighteen month program.
As a graduate of the program, you will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree from Southeast Community College and are eligible to take the national examinations and apply for a license from the State Health Department.
Career Information
Job opportunities are expected to be very good. Employment of respiratory technicians is expected to increase about 19 percent in the next decade. The vast majority of job openings will continue to be in hospitals. However, a growing number of openings are expected to be outside hospitals, especially in home health care services, and offices of physicians or other health practitioners.
Salary Information
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary for respiratory care therapists in Nebraska is $49,390.