| Weekly pay | Up to $2,400 on a 12x3 schedule of 36 hours per week |
|---|---|
| License | Colorado RT license required (built on your NBRC credential). A temporary permit is available to applicants (see below). |
| Shifts | Varied shifts available |
| What sets it apart | At altitude, respiratory patients decompensate faster, so your skills get daily, high-level use |
| Extras | Weekly pay and a dedicated recruiter. Stipend details vary by contract; your recruiter breaks down every package. Call (866) 680-2920. |
| Pay updated | June 2026 |
No specialty feels Colorado's geography more directly than respiratory therapy. At 5,280 feet and far higher across the Front Range and mountain communities, lower atmospheric oxygen means patients with COPD, heart failure, asthma, and post-surgical compromise decompensate faster and hold less margin than they would at sea level. For an RT, that translates into a busier, more clinically engaged day: more high-flow and supplemental oxygen, closer ABG monitoring, earlier escalation, and ventilator management on patients whose baseline is already oxygen-challenged.
You will also see presentations that flatland therapists rarely encounter, from high-altitude pulmonary considerations to the way chronic lung disease behaves differently up here. For a traveler, that is a genuine professional draw. A Colorado contract sharpens exactly the assessment and ventilator skills that make you more valuable on every future assignment, and facilities staff their RT departments with that elevated acuity in mind, which keeps demand for skilled travelers steady year-round.
Colorado licenses respiratory therapists through the state's Office of Respiratory Therapy Licensure within the Division of Professions and Occupations, built on your NBRC credential (RRT strongly preferred). A genuinely helpful detail for travelers: Colorado can issue a temporary permit to an applicant who has completed education and applied for licensure, which can bridge you toward a start while the full license processes. Begin the application before your contract search, and confirm the current steps with your recruiter.
We Care Staffing's current Colorado RT contracts pay up to $2,400 a week on a 12x3 schedule. For context, respiratory therapists earn a national median around $80,450 a year per BLS data, with the field projected to grow about 12% through 2034, well above the all-occupation average, so demand is strong and durable. Your package adds tax-free housing and meal stipends following GSA rates for travelers with a qualifying tax home. Colorado's flat income tax of about 4.4% applies only to your taxable base.
Taxable Base Rate
Competitive hourly wage
Housing Stipend
Tax-free, GSA-based rates
Meal Stipend
Tax-free daily allowance
Weekly Pay
Transparent breakdown every week
$2,400
Max Weekly Pay
4.4%
Flat State Tax
12x3
Schedule
As a travel respiratory therapist with We Care Staffing, you assess and treat patients with cardiopulmonary conditions: managing ventilators and airway support, drawing and interpreting ABGs, delivering aerosol and oxygen therapies, responding to rapid responses and codes, and educating patients on chronic conditions like COPD and asthma. Colorado contracts lean on strong ICU and ER ventilator skills, with high-flow and altitude-aware management in daily use.
We Care Staffing places respiratory therapists across Colorado's Front Range hospital systems and its mountain and regional facilities. Demand concentrates around Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora, with seasonal surges in mountain-area facilities through the winter.
"We-Care found me the perfect ER nurse assignment quickly. Their communication was fantastic throughout the entire process. I couldn't be happier!"
Jessica Miller
Travel Nurse
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