Respiratory Therapist Salary
Respiratory Therapists earn a median $82,280 a year nationally. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
What respiratory therapists do
Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.
- Typical education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +8.5% (much faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 8,600
Employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 8.5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 8,600 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Respiratory Therapist take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,272
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,101
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,193
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$66,714
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $63,660 | $30.61 | $53,331 |
| 25th percentile | $74,520 | $35.83 | $61,255 |
| Median (50th) | $82,280 | $39.56 | $66,714 |
| 75th percentile | $98,730 | $47.47 | $78,287 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $118,050 | $56.75 | $91,878 |
Best cities for respiratory therapists (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $110,490 | $81,081 | $72,032 | 7,010 |
| 2 | Atlanta, GA | $95,520 | $71,694 | $71,652 | 2,670 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $88,790 | $68,568 | $66,860 | 2,990 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $104,640 | $75,582 | $66,553 | 7,010 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $80,450 | $65,427 | $66,336 | 3,630 |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | $84,080 | $67,980 | $65,943 | 3,010 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $87,060 | $65,912 | $63,625 | 3,620 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,760 | $63,156 | $61,129 | 2,600 |
| 9 | Miami, FL | $80,880 | $65,729 | $57,579 | 2,620 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- New York, NY — $110,490
- Los Angeles, CA — $104,640
- Atlanta, GA — $95,520
- Philadelphia, PA — $88,790
- Chicago, IL — $87,060
- Dallas, TX — $84,080
- Miami, FL — $80,880
- Houston, TX — $80,450
- Phoenix, AZ — $79,760
Respiratory Therapist salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,950 | +7.4% | $81,040 | $77,240 – $127,400 | 430 |
| New York | $107,810 | +3.8% | $79,354 | $81,270 – $131,500 | 7,010 |
| California | $104,820 | +2.6% | $75,690 | $77,010 – $145,510 | 18,650 |
| Massachusetts | $102,170 | +5.4% | $75,818 | $80,330 – $123,930 | 2,220 |
| Washington | $101,130 | +4.1% | $79,975 | $76,080 – $127,520 | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $100,810 | +2.8% | $75,518 | $78,000 – $123,370 | 3,350 |
| Oregon | $100,560 | +4.6% | $71,605 | $81,490 – $120,060 | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $98,710 | +12.1% | $73,084 | $79,060 – $110,050 | 1,250 |
| Alaska | $97,950 | +4.0% | $77,738 | $80,250 – $114,590 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 | +14.7% | $76,324 | $80,490 – $109,000 | 360 |
| Hawaii | $94,210 | −0.5% | $69,477 | $80,130 – $102,780 | 510 |
| Delaware | $91,080 | +4.2% | $68,235 | $79,210 – $109,890 | 500 |
| Maryland | $88,960 | +4.0% | $67,551 | $69,550 – $106,430 | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $86,900 | +3.9% | $67,322 | $73,240 – $122,120 | 260 |
| Colorado | $86,220 | +6.9% | $66,400 | $66,560 – $109,070 | 2,110 |
| Nevada | $85,480 | +7.5% | $68,965 | $65,150 – $118,710 | 1,270 |
| Connecticut | $85,230 | +2.4% | $65,677 | $72,410 – $121,620 | 1,370 |
| Wisconsin | $84,210 | +2.5% | $64,989 | $70,520 – $100,320 | 1,940 |
| Illinois | $84,090 | +3.4% | $63,970 | $64,480 – $100,100 | 4,880 |
| Vermont | $83,820 | +6.4% | $64,725 | $50,310 – $99,940 | 210 |
| Georgia | $83,700 | +2.2% | $63,992 | $65,050 – $112,320 | 5,150 |
| Virginia | $82,910 | +4.2% | $63,204 | $65,540 – $106,470 | 3,340 |
| Maine | $82,470 | +4.0% | $62,447 | $61,060 – $98,470 | 520 |
| Nebraska | $81,590 | +3.4% | $63,396 | $64,100 – $96,180 | 840 |
| North Dakota | $81,230 | +6.0% | $65,651 | $65,770 – $100,490 | 270 |
| Montana | $81,190 | +0.3% | $62,721 | $60,800 – $92,890 | 390 |
| Florida | $81,160 | +1.8% | $65,926 | $64,240 – $100,310 | 8,820 |
| Utah | $80,650 | +2.1% | $62,904 | $61,860 – $101,340 | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $80,090 | +3.9% | $62,486 | $63,990 – $99,520 | 4,630 |
| Ohio | $79,920 | +1.9% | $63,638 | $65,580 – $97,030 | 6,640 |
| Michigan | $79,850 | +3.1% | $61,862 | $64,770 – $90,210 | 4,520 |
| Arizona | $79,780 | +0.6% | $63,169 | $64,780 – $99,180 | 3,500 |
| Indiana | $79,730 | +2.5% | $62,598 | $62,730 – $94,980 | 3,170 |
| Texas | $79,540 | +2.6% | $64,786 | $61,310 – $99,690 | 12,130 |
| Wyoming | $79,330 | +4.5% | $64,639 | $64,300 – $91,840 | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $78,800 | +3.6% | $61,265 | $64,380 – $95,350 | 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,490 | +3.1% | $61,638 | $62,440 – $95,520 | 6,530 |
| Idaho | $78,460 | +3.9% | $60,977 | $63,540 – $95,290 | 820 |
| Missouri | $78,390 | +6.1% | $61,230 | $60,950 – $95,730 | 3,030 |
| South Carolina | $77,740 | +2.3% | $60,013 | $63,700 – $90,670 | 1,960 |
| Kansas | $76,970 | +4.6% | $59,483 | $60,470 – $94,600 | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $75,240 | +7.3% | $59,890 | $61,520 – $91,200 | 2,520 |
| Iowa | $74,760 | +8.7% | $59,235 | $62,860 – $86,510 | 910 |
| Arkansas | $73,870 | +8.7% | $58,129 | $59,550 – $93,480 | 1,400 |
| Kentucky | $72,750 | +10.8% | $57,581 | $58,330 – $92,540 | 2,530 |
| Tennessee | $72,140 | +11.0% | $59,580 | $57,860 – $88,060 | 3,440 |
| New Mexico | $68,870 | +3.6% | $55,209 | $61,990 – $91,220 | 840 |
| West Virginia | $68,670 | +3.5% | $54,764 | $52,940 – $94,280 | 1,140 |
| South Dakota | $68,240 | +5.4% | $56,837 | $48,530 – $88,830 | 430 |
| Alabama | $66,150 | +3.3% | $52,289 | $50,250 – $81,030 | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $63,270 | +3.2% | $51,219 | $50,180 – $80,460 | 1,670 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapists, All Other | $77,930 | Bachelor's degree | +12.6% |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | Master's degree | +16.6% |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | Master's degree | +14.8% |
| Recreational Therapist | $61,960 | Bachelor's degree | +4.8% |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | Doctoral or professional degree | +11.9% |
| Exercise Physiologist | $59,460 | Bachelor's degree | +12.8% |
| Radiation Therapist | $105,310 | Associate's degree | +2.8% |
| Chiropractor | $79,200 | Doctoral or professional degree | +8.7% |
| Dietitian and Nutritionist | $76,400 | Bachelor's degree | +7.7% |
| Acupuncturist | $76,040 | Master's degree | +8.6% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a respiratory therapist make?
The national median salary for respiratory therapists is $82,280 a year ($39.56 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $63,660 and the top 10% earn over $118,050. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays respiratory therapists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median pay at $111,950. After taxes and local prices, New York, NY offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many respiratory therapists are there in the U.S.?
About 139,790 people work as respiratory therapists nationwide.