How to Get Your Respiratory Therapist License in West Virginia (2026)

## How to Become a Licensed Respiratory Therapist in West Virginia West Virginia presents a unique context for respiratory therapy: the state has among the highest rates of COPD, black lung disease (coal workers' pneumoconiosis), and smoking-related pulmonary illness in the country. This makes respiratory therapists not just clinically important but genuinely in high demand across both urban centers and rural Appalachian communities. The West Virginia Board of Respiratory Care oversees RT licensure in the state. ### Step 1: Complete a CoARC-Accredited Respiratory Therapy Program West Virginia has several CoARC-accredited respiratory therapy programs offered through its community and technical college system and universities. Marshall University and West Virginia University both have affiliations with RT training programs, and the state's community college network offers AAS-level programs across multiple campuses. Graduation from a CoARC-accredited program is required for West Virginia licensure eligibility. Verify accreditation at coarc.com. The AAS degree is the standard entry point, though candidates interested in management, education, or academic medical center positions increasingly benefit from completing a BS in Respiratory Therapy or pursuing an RRT-to-BS completion program. Given West Virginia's high burden of complex respiratory disease — including COPD, pulmonary hypertension, and sleep-related breathing disorders — clinical training in the state often exposes students to a richer-than-average patient acuity mix, which can accelerate clinical competency development. ### Step 2: Pass the NBRC Examinations West Virginia requires the RRT credential for state licensure. The NBRC two-exam sequence is: **Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination:** Taken after program graduation, this exam tests clinical respiratory care knowledge across all patient populations and settings. You must achieve the "RRT cut score" to advance to the CSE. **Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE):** The CSE presents complex patient scenarios in a branching decision format, assessing your ability to manage real-world clinical situations. Passing both exams earns you the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. West Virginia does not issue a state license based on the CRT credential alone. The full RRT is required. Register at nbrc.org and schedule your exams soon after graduation — most employers will not make a final hire offer until the RRT is in hand. ### Step 3: Apply for Your West Virginia License The West Virginia Board of Respiratory Care administers the state's RT licensure program. Applications are submitted directly to the Board. **West Virginia RT license application requirements:** - Completed application form (available through the WV Board of Respiratory Care) - NBRC primary-source verification of your RRT credential - Official transcripts from your CoARC-accredited program - Application fee of approximately $50–$100 (among the more affordable state RT licensure fees in the country — confirm current amounts with the Board) - Background disclosure and any out-of-state license history West Virginia's Board is a smaller regulatory body compared to states like Texas or California, and processing times are generally reasonable — typically 3–6 weeks for complete applications. If you have a prior disciplinary history in another state, plan for additional Board review time. Out-of-state RTs can apply by endorsement, submitting their primary-state license verification along with NBRC documentation and the application fee. ### CRT vs. RRT: Which Do You Need in West Virginia? West Virginia requires the **RRT** for state licensure. Major employers including WVU Medicine and CAMC require RRT as a condition of employment, reflecting the state's high patient acuity in pulmonary and critical care settings. West Virginia's respiratory disease burden — including one of the nation's highest COPD prevalence rates and ongoing occupational lung disease in former coal-mining communities — means that many RT positions involve managing complex, high-acuity patients. Employers want the full RRT credential, and in practice the distinction between CRT and RRT is rarely relevant as a practical hiring question in West Virginia. Additional NBRC specialty credentials, particularly the Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS) and the Sleep Disorders Specialist (SDS), are valued in academic medical center and specialty care settings. ### Continuing Education Requirements West Virginia RT licenses are renewed on a 2-year cycle. Renewal requires **30 contact hours of continuing education** completed during the preceding license period. Acceptable CE sources include: - AARC-approved CE programs and West Virginia Society for Respiratory Care (WVSRC) events - Hospital in-service education with documented CE credit - Online CE from NBRC-recognized or AARC-recognized providers - Academic coursework relevant to respiratory care West Virginia does not currently mandate specific CE topic areas for RT renewal, though requirements can change with legislative or regulatory updates. Verify current CE requirements through the WV Board of Respiratory Care before your renewal deadline. Licenses that lapse require reinstatement. Depending on the duration of lapse, additional CE completion or Board review may be required before reinstatement is granted. ### West Virginia Respiratory Therapist Salary Ranges West Virginia salaries reflect the state's lower cost of living relative to national averages, though healthcare employers are increasingly competing for RT talent by raising base wages. **Morgantown / WVU Medicine market:** - Entry-level RRT: $50,000–$60,000/year - Mid-career staff RT: $58,000–$70,000/year - Senior/specialty RT (ACCS, ECMO): $68,000–$80,000/year **Charleston / CAMC market:** - Entry-level RRT: $48,000–$58,000/year - Mid-career RT: $56,000–$68,000/year - Senior RT: $65,000–$76,000/year **Rural / critical access hospitals:** - Staff RT: $46,000–$62,000/year (some rural facilities offer recruitment bonuses and housing allowances to attract candidates) **Travel RT in West Virginia:** Travel RT assignments in West Virginia — particularly in rural and critical access hospitals — command meaningful premiums. Experienced RTs willing to work in rural Appalachian settings can earn $1,600–$2,200/week all-in, with some facilities offering completion bonuses given the difficulty of rural recruitment. West Virginia's low cost of living means that the effective purchasing power of these wages is higher than the raw numbers suggest when compared to coastal markets. ### Top Employers **WVU Medicine / West Virginia University Hospitals (Morgantown)** — The state's flagship academic medical center and the largest RT employer in West Virginia. WVU Medicine's Ruby Memorial Hospital is a Level I trauma and tertiary care center with significant critical care, ECMO, and specialty respiratory therapy programs. The organization also has regional facilities across the state. **CAMC Health System / Charleston Area Medical Center (Charleston)** — CAMC is the dominant health system in the Kanawha Valley and West Virginia's capital region. It operates multiple hospital campuses in Charleston and is consistently among the state's largest RT employers, with a strong NICU and critical care RT program. **Thomas Health / St. Mary's Medical Center (Huntington)** — Serving the Tri-State area of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio, these Huntington-area hospitals offer RT positions in a mid-size market with active RT staff needs given the region's respiratory disease burden. **Cabell Huntington Hospital and Marshall Health (Huntington)** — The Marshall University-affiliated health system in Huntington, serving the western part of the state with strong clinical programs in pulmonary and critical care medicine. **Rural and Critical Access Hospitals** — West Virginia's network of critical access hospitals (Logan Regional, Wetzel County Hospital, Roane General, etc.) periodically recruit staff and travel RTs, often with competitive financial incentives given rural recruitment challenges.