facebook tracking Respiratory Therapist salary in Kentucky (2025): how much respiratory therapists make, by city

How much do respiratory therapists make in Kentucky?

What respiratory therapists earn in Kentucky and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).

May 2025#44 of 50 states
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See also Respiratory Therapist pay nationally All healthcare pay in Kentucky
Median pay in Kentucky
$72,750

a year, or $34.98 an hour. That is 12% less than the national median of $82,280.

The middle half of respiratory therapists in Kentucky earn $63,110 to $79,730.

Pay range in Kentucky
Bottom 10% earn under
$58,330
25th percentile
$63,110
Median
$72,750
75th percentile
$79,730
Top 10% earn over
$92,540
Rank among states
#44 of 50

Kentucky pays respiratory therapists more than 6 of the other 49 states. Highest: New York ($107,810).

Jobs in Kentucky
2,530

1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 1.41× the U.S. concentration.

Respiratory Therapist pay in Kentucky cities

Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them, including metro areas that cross into neighboring states.. Click a column to sort.

AreaPay a yearHourlyJobs
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $81,600 $39.23 1,300
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $76,560 $36.81 840
Lexington-Fayette, KY $80,040 $38.48 430
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $66,040 $31.75 270
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $65,240 $31.36 230
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $63,690 $30.62 210
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $62,570 $30.08 200
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $66,470 $31.96 170
Bowling Green, KY $68,490 $32.93 90
Paducah, KY-IL $76,100 $36.59 80
Clarksville, TN-KY $79,150 $38.05 60
Elizabethtown, KY $74,040 $35.60 40
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States with similar respiratory therapist pay

Louisiana $75,240 median a year · +3% vs Kentucky Iowa $74,760 median a year · +3% vs Kentucky Arkansas $73,870 median a year · +2% vs Kentucky Tennessee $72,140 median a year · −1% vs Kentucky New Mexico $68,870 median a year · −5% vs Kentucky West Virginia $68,670 median a year · −6% vs Kentucky

Other healthcare salaries in Kentucky

Registered Nurses $81,040 median a year · 50,300 jobs Home Health and Personal Care Aides $36,440 median a year · 31,260 jobs Nursing Assistants $38,370 median a year · 23,410 jobs Medical Assistants $39,270 median a year · 13,440 jobs Pharmacy Technicians $39,200 median a year · 8,870 jobs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $60,460 median a year · 8,570 jobs Pharmacists $136,530 median a year · 5,030 jobs Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $60,880 median a year · 4,860 jobs Nurse Practitioners $122,870 median a year · 4,770 jobs Dental Assistants $47,730 median a year · 4,530 jobs Medical Records Specialists $48,410 median a year · 4,210 jobs Radiologic Technologists and Technicians $69,670 median a year · 3,630 jobs
All healthcare salaries in Kentucky

Questions about respiratory therapist pay in Kentucky

How much does a respiratory therapist make in Kentucky?

Respiratory Therapists in Kentucky earned a median of $72,750 a year ($34.98 an hour) in May 2025, 12% less than the national median of $82,280. The middle half earned $63,110 to $79,730.

Where in Kentucky do respiratory therapists earn the most?

Among areas in Kentucky, pay was highest in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN at $81,600.

How does Kentucky rank for respiratory therapist pay?

Kentucky ranks #44 of 50 states for respiratory therapists pay. New York pays the most, at $107,810 a year. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.

How many respiratory therapists work in Kentucky?

About 2,530 people worked as respiratory therapists in Kentucky in May 2025, or 1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.

Kentucky hospitals Kentucky hospital star ratings Kentucky hospital finances Kentucky shortage areas Hospitals per capita All healthcare salaries

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.