Respiratory Therapist Salary in Boston, MA
Respiratory Therapists in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $104,580 a year — 27% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $77,393 take-home, or $6,449 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
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- Federal income tax$14,178
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,484
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,516
- Massachusetts income tax$5,009
- Take-home pay$77,393
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Respiratory Therapist pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $82,620 | $39.72 | $63,042 | $5,254 |
| 25th percentile | $96,190 | $46.25 | $71,910 | $5,993 |
| Median (50th) | $104,580 | $50.28 | $77,393 | $6,449 |
| 75th percentile | $112,020 | $53.86 | $82,255 | $6,855 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $125,120 | $60.15 | $90,750 | $7,562 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $104,580 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median respiratory therapist's $77,393 take-home pay has the buying power of $71,484 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Respiratory Therapist jobs are less concentrated in Boston, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.64), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for respiratory therapists, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #7 of 61 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $149,680 | $101,936 | $92,314 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $134,430 | $93,129 | $87,306 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $130,220 | $90,698 | $78,449 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $104,220 | $82,149 | $73,919 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $110,490 | $81,081 | $72,032 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $95,520 | $71,694 | $71,652 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $104,580 | $77,393 | $71,484 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $100,920 | $74,488 | $71,061 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 61 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a respiratory therapist make in Boston, MA?
The median respiratory therapist salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $104,580 a year, or about $50.28 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $96,190 and $112,020.
What is a respiratory therapist’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $104,580 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $77,393 a year ($6,449 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,009 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a respiratory therapist?
Pay here is 27% above the national median of $82,280. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $71,484 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #7 of 61 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a respiratory therapist afford rent in Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 35% of a median respiratory therapist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
- Surgeons, All Other — $239,200+
- Emergency Medicine Physician — $239,200+
- Family Medicine Physician — $239,200+
- General Internal Medicine Physician — $239,200+
- Nurse Anesthetist — $239,200+
- Obstetrician and Gynecologist — $235,460
- Physicians, All Other — $229,870
- Pediatricians, General — $221,170
- Dentists, General — $181,150
- Optometrist — $154,970
- Nurse Practitioner — $147,480
- Physician Assistant — $142,410