Respiratory therapist salary

Respiratory therapists in the U.S. earn a median $82,280 a year.

Median pay
$82,280
Median hourly
$39.56
Typical range
$63,660–$118,050
Jobs
139,790

Pay range

Annual pay percentiles for respiratory therapists in the U.S.
PercentileAnnual pay
10th (entry level)$63,660
25th$74,520
Median$82,280
75th$98,730
90th (top earners)$118,050

Pay in the biggest metro areas

Median pay by metro area
Metro areaMedian payJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$104,6407,010
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$110,4907,010
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$80,4503,630
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$87,0603,620
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$84,0803,010
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$88,7902,990
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$95,5202,670
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$80,8802,620
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$79,7602,600
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$100,4802,200

Respiratory therapist salary by state

  1. –District of Columbia$111,950
  2. 1New York$107,810
  3. 2California$104,820
  4. 3Massachusetts$102,170
  5. 4Washington$101,130
  6. 5New Jersey$100,810
  7. 6Oregon$100,560
  8. 7Minnesota$98,710
  9. 8Alaska$97,950
  10. 9New Hampshire$95,940
  11. 10Hawaii$94,210
  12. 11Delaware$91,080
  13. 12Maryland$88,960
  14. 13Rhode Island$86,900
  15. 14Colorado$86,220
  16. 15Nevada$85,480
  17. 16Connecticut$85,230
  18. 17Wisconsin$84,210
  19. 18Illinois$84,090
  20. 19Vermont$83,820
  21. 20Georgia$83,700
  22. 21Virginia$82,910
  23. 22Maine$82,470
  24. 23Nebraska$81,590
  25. 24North Dakota$81,230
  26. 25Montana$81,190
  27. 26Florida$81,160
  28. 27Utah$80,650
  29. 28North Carolina$80,090
  30. 29Ohio$79,920
  31. 30Michigan$79,850
  32. 31Arizona$79,780
  33. 32Indiana$79,730
  34. 33Texas$79,540
  35. 34Wyoming$79,330
  36. 35Oklahoma$78,800
  37. 36Pennsylvania$78,490
  38. 37Idaho$78,460
  39. 38Missouri$78,390
  40. 39South Carolina$77,740
  41. 40Kansas$76,970
  42. 41Louisiana$75,240
  43. 42Iowa$74,760
  44. 43Arkansas$73,870
  45. 44Kentucky$72,750
  46. 45Tennessee$72,140
  47. 46New Mexico$68,870
  48. 47West Virginia$68,670
  49. 48South Dakota$68,240
  50. 49Alabama$66,150
  51. 50Mississippi$63,270
  52. –Puerto Rico$35,000

Start training

See what the work is like and how long training takes, then compare schools.

Respiratory therapy schoolsHow to become a respiratory therapist

Frequently asked questions

How much do respiratory therapists make?

The median pay for respiratory therapists in the U.S. is $82,280 a year ($39.56 an hour), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $63,660, and the top 10% earn over $118,050.

Which states pay respiratory therapists the most?

The top-paying states are New York ($107,810), California ($104,820), Massachusetts ($102,170), Washington ($101,130), New Jersey ($100,810).

How can a respiratory therapist earn more?

Pay rises with experience, certifications, specialized skills, overtime and willingness to travel. Union jobs and employers in high-cost metro areas often pay more. Our guide on how to become a respiratory therapist covers the certifications that matter most.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (Respiratory Therapists, SOC 29-1126). Figures exclude self-employed workers.