Respiratory Therapist salary
What respiratory therapists earn across the U.S., in every state and in the top-paying metro areas.
Median pay$82,280$39.56 per hour
Average pay$87,300$41.97 per hour
Middle half earn$74,520 – $98,730Top 10%: $118,050+
Jobs139,790Employed nationwide
Respiratory Therapist salary by state
Click a column to sort. Select a state for its cities.
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs | Per 1,000 jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,150 | $31.81 | 2,350 | 1.11 |
| Alaska | $97,950 | $47.09 | 180 | 0.56 |
| Arizona | $79,780 | $38.36 | 3,500 | 1.08 |
| Arkansas | $73,870 | $35.51 | 1,400 | 1.07 |
| California | $104,820 | $50.40 | 18,650 | 1.02 |
| Colorado | $86,220 | $41.45 | 2,110 | 0.73 |
| Connecticut | $85,230 | $40.98 | 1,370 | 0.81 |
| Delaware | $91,080 | $43.79 | 500 | 1.04 |
| Florida | $81,160 | $39.02 | 8,820 | 0.89 |
| Georgia | $83,700 | $40.24 | 5,150 | 1.05 |
| Hawaii | $94,210 | $45.30 | 510 | 0.82 |
| Idaho | $78,460 | $37.72 | 820 | 0.96 |
| Illinois | $84,090 | $40.43 | 4,880 | 0.8 |
| Indiana | $79,730 | $38.33 | 3,170 | 0.99 |
| Iowa | $74,760 | $35.94 | 910 | 0.59 |
| Kansas | $76,970 | $37.01 | 1,450 | 1.01 |
| Kentucky | $72,750 | $34.98 | 2,530 | 1.26 |
| Louisiana | $75,240 | $36.17 | 2,520 | 1.3 |
| Maine | $82,470 | $39.65 | 520 | 0.81 |
| Maryland | $88,960 | $42.77 | 1,800 | 0.65 |
| Massachusetts | $102,170 | $49.12 | 2,220 | 0.61 |
| Michigan | $79,850 | $38.39 | 4,520 | 1.03 |
| Minnesota | $98,710 | $47.46 | 1,250 | 0.43 |
| Mississippi | $63,270 | $30.42 | 1,670 | 1.44 |
| Missouri | $78,390 | $37.69 | 3,030 | 1.03 |
| Montana | $81,190 | $39.03 | 390 | 0.76 |
| Nebraska | $81,590 | $39.22 | 840 | 0.82 |
| Nevada | $85,480 | $41.10 | 1,270 | 0.82 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 | $46.13 | 360 | 0.53 |
| New Jersey | $100,810 | $48.47 | 3,350 | 0.78 |
| New Mexico | $68,870 | $33.11 | 840 | 0.97 |
| New York | $107,810 | $51.83 | 7,010 | 0.72 |
| North Carolina | $80,090 | $38.51 | 4,630 | 0.94 |
| North Dakota | $81,230 | $39.06 | 270 | 0.64 |
| Ohio | $79,920 | $38.42 | 6,640 | 1.2 |
| Oklahoma | $78,800 | $37.88 | 2,000 | 1.17 |
| Oregon | $100,560 | $48.34 | 1,340 | 0.68 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,490 | $37.74 | 6,530 | 1.08 |
| Rhode Island | $86,900 | $41.78 | 260 | 0.51 |
| South Carolina | $77,740 | $37.38 | 1,960 | 0.85 |
| South Dakota | $68,240 | $32.81 | 430 | 0.94 |
| Tennessee | $72,140 | $34.68 | 3,440 | 1.05 |
| Texas | $79,540 | $38.24 | 12,130 | 0.86 |
| Utah | $80,650 | $38.77 | 1,170 | 0.68 |
| Vermont | $83,820 | $40.30 | 210 | 0.71 |
| Virginia | $82,910 | $39.86 | 3,340 | 0.81 |
| Washington | $101,130 | $48.62 | 1,860 | 0.52 |
| West Virginia | $68,670 | $33.01 | 1,140 | 1.62 |
| Wisconsin | $84,210 | $40.48 | 1,940 | 0.66 |
| Wyoming | $79,330 | $38.14 | 160 | 0.58 |
Top-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $149,680 | 1,060 |
| Vallejo, CA | $136,200 | 190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $134,880 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $134,430 | 1,140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,220 | 2,010 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $123,220 | 200 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $112,430 | 90 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $110,490 | 7,010 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $108,600 | 130 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $106,910 | 240 |
| Reno, NV | $105,140 | 180 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $105,040 | 1,430 |
| Napa, CA | $104,670 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $104,640 | 7,010 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $104,580 | 1,560 |
Metro areas with the most respiratory therapists
| Metro area | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,010 | $104,640 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,010 | $110,490 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,630 | $80,450 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,620 | $87,060 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,010 | $84,080 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,990 | $88,790 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,670 | $95,520 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,620 | $80,880 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,600 | $79,760 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,200 | $100,480 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,010 | $130,220 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,910 | $80,790 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,850 | $101,990 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,560 | $104,580 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,430 | $105,040 |
Related jobs
Questions
How much does a respiratory therapist make?
The median pay for respiratory therapists in the U.S. was $82,280 a year ($39.56 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $74,520 and $98,730.
Which states pay respiratory therapists the most?
The highest pay was in New York ($107,810), California ($104,820), Massachusetts ($102,170), Washington ($101,130), New Jersey ($100,810). The lowest was in Mississippi ($63,270), Alabama ($66,150), South Dakota ($68,240).
How many respiratory therapists are there in the U.S.?
About 139,790 people were employed as respiratory therapists in May 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Metro areas with fewer than 50 jobs in this occupation are left out. All healthcare salaries.