How to Get Your Respiratory Therapist License in Michigan (2026)

## How to Become a Licensed Respiratory Therapist in Michigan Michigan requires all practicing respiratory therapists to hold a state license issued by the **Michigan Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL)**, which operates under the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Michigan has a distinctive feature compared to most states: its CE renewal cycle is **3 years** rather than the more common 2-year cycle, giving RTs more time between reporting periods. Michigan's RT market is large and diverse — anchored by Henry Ford Health, Detroit Medical Center, and Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan) — and reflects both an urban industrial-city health burden and a large rural Upper and Lower Peninsula population with ongoing workforce needs. ### Step 1: Complete a CoARC-Accredited Respiratory Therapy Program Michigan BPL requires graduation from a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)-accredited program. Michigan-based programs include: - **Kalamazoo Valley Community College** — AAS in Respiratory Therapy; strong placement into Bronson and Ascension Borgess systems - **Delta College** (University Center, near Saginaw) — AAS program serving mid-Michigan - **Henry Ford College** (Dearborn) — AAS program affiliated with and strongly connected to Henry Ford Health - **Oakland Community College** — suburban Detroit AAS program - **University of Michigan** — BSRT and graduate respiratory therapy pathways through the School of Medicine allied health programs - **Ferris State University** — BSRT completion program; serves west and central Michigan ### Step 2: Pass the NBRC Examinations Michigan BPL requires NBRC credentials for licensure: 1. **Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Exam** — Passing at the CRT cut score earns the **CRT** credential (~$190 fee) 2. **Clinical Simulation Exam (CSE)** — Passing the TMC at the RRT cut score plus the CSE earns the **RRT** credential (~$200 fee) Michigan's major health systems — Henry Ford, Detroit Medical Center, Spectrum Health, and Michigan Medicine — require RRT for all acute and critical care RT positions. ### Step 3: Apply for Your Michigan License After obtaining NBRC credentials, apply through Michigan LARA/BPL: **Application steps:** 1. Access the Michigan LARA online licensing portal (michigan.gov/lara) 2. Complete the Respiratory Therapist application 3. Submit NBRC credential verification (NBRC can submit directly to Michigan BPL) 4. Provide official CoARC program transcripts 5. Pay the initial licensure fee: approximately **$75–$100** **License term:** Michigan RT licenses renew every **3 years** — this is notably different from most states' 2-year cycles. The 3-year renewal reduces administrative burden but requires careful tracking of the less-frequent renewal date. **Endorsement:** Michigan accepts out-of-state endorsements for practitioners with current, unencumbered licenses. Submit your existing license verification, NBRC credentials, and the endorsement fee. Michigan is not part of a formal RT interstate compact. ### CRT vs. RRT: Which Do You Need in Michigan? Michigan statute permits CRT-level licensure, but the employer market in acute care uniformly requires RRT: | Setting | Typical Requirement | |---|---| | Academic medical center (Michigan Medicine) | RRT required | | Level I trauma center (Detroit Receiving) | RRT required | | Community hospital ICU/ED | RRT required | | General inpatient floor | CRT minimum, RRT strongly preferred | | LTAC / pulmonary rehabilitation | CRT accepted in some roles | | Home health / DME | CRT accepted | | Sleep lab | CRT accepted | Henry Ford Hospital's HR portal requires RRT for all inpatient RT postings. Detroit Medical Center (DMC) and Michigan Medicine (Ann Arbor) similarly require RRT across their acute care RT job listings. Spectrum Health (now Corewell Health) in Grand Rapids follows the same standard. ### Continuing Education Requirements Michigan requires **30 CE hours every 3-year renewal cycle** — one of the few states with a 3-year rather than 2-year CE reporting period: - CE must come from AARC-approved or NBRC-approved providers - No mandatory subject distribution within the 30 hours (general respiratory care CE is sufficient) - Michigan Society for Respiratory Care (MSRC) annual conference CE hours qualify - The 3-year cycle means RTs need 10 CE hours per year on average — a lower annual burden than 2-year states with 30-hour requirements - Retain CE documentation for potential BPL audit ### Michigan Respiratory Therapist Salary Ranges Michigan salaries reflect a large, diverse market — Detroit metro at the high end, rural UP and rural Lower Peninsula at the low end: | Role | Salary Range | |---|---| | CRT (entry-level) | $53,000 – $67,000 | | RRT (general floor) | $62,000 – $78,000 | | RRT (ICU/neonatal specialist) | $72,000 – $90,000 | | Travel RT (Michigan assignments) | $40 – $58/hr all-in | Detroit metro (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb counties) commands the highest rates. Ann Arbor (Michigan Medicine) is competitive with Detroit metro. Grand Rapids (Corewell Health, Mercy Health Saint Mary's) is the third major market. Upper Peninsula markets (Marquette, Escanaba) typically run 8–15% below Detroit but commonly include rural incentive pay and loan repayment programs through HRSA-designated shortage area programs. ### Top Employers Michigan's respiratory therapy market is one of the largest and most diverse in the Midwest: - **Henry Ford Health** — Detroit-based; Henry Ford Hospital flagship plus 6 hospitals; consistent among Michigan's largest RT employers; Henry Ford College partnership creates a direct pipeline - **Detroit Medical Center (DMC)** — Tenet Health system; 8 hospitals including Detroit Receiving (Level I trauma) and Children's Hospital of Michigan (high pediatric RT demand) - **Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan)** — Ann Arbor academic medical center; nationally ranked programs; ECMO, NICU, and adult ICU RT specialists - **Corewell Health** (formerly Spectrum Health + Beaumont Health) — Michigan's largest health system post-merger; Grand Rapids, Royal Oak, Troy, and statewide presence - **Ascension Michigan** — multiple Detroit-area and statewide hospitals; Providence Hospital, St. John Hospital, and others - **McLaren Health Care** — 14-hospital Michigan system spanning Flint, Lansing, Bay City, and the UP - **Beaumont Health** (now Corewell Health) — historically one of southeast Michigan's top employers; strong cardiac and pulmonary RT programs - **Lincare / Apria** — extensive home health RT network across Michigan's large geographic footprint