Respiratory Therapist Salary in Seattle, WA
Respiratory Therapists in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area earn a median $104,220 a year — 27% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $82,149 take-home, or $6,846 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
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- Federal income tax$14,098
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,462
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,511
- Washington income tax$0
- Take-home pay$82,149
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Respiratory Therapist pay by experience in Seattle, WA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $78,450 | $37.72 | $64,020 | $5,335 |
| 25th percentile | $85,230 | $40.98 | $68,789 | $5,732 |
| Median (50th) | $104,220 | $50.11 | $82,149 | $6,846 |
| 75th percentile | $121,190 | $58.26 | $94,087 | $7,841 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $128,610 | $61.83 | $99,171 | $8,264 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Washington resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $104,220 buys in Seattle, WA
Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.1% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median respiratory therapist's $82,149 take-home pay has the buying power of $73,919 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 Seattle, WA than nationally (location quotient 0.60), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for respiratory therapists, adjusted for cost of living
Seattle, WA ranks #4 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 Seattle, WA?
The median respiratory therapist salary in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area is $104,220 a year, or about $50.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $85,230 and $121,190.
What is a respiratory therapist’s take-home pay in Seattle, WA?
On the median $104,220 salary, a single filer living in Washington takes home about $82,149 a year ($6,846 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Seattle, WA a good place to work as a respiratory therapist?
Pay here is 27% above the national median of $82,280. Local prices are 11.1% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $73,919 would in a typical U.S. city. Seattle, WA ranks #4 of 61 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a respiratory therapist afford rent in Seattle, WA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Seattle, WA is $2,022 a month ($2,379 for two bedrooms) — 30% of a median respiratory therapist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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