Respiratory Therapist salary in the U.S.
Respiratory Therapists in the U.S. earn a median of $82,280 a year ($39.56 an hour), based on BLS data for 139,790 workers.
Pay ranges from $63,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $118,050 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $87,300, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for respiratory therapists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $63,660 | $30.61 |
| 25th percentile | $74,520 | $35.83 |
| Median | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| 75th percentile | $98,730 | $47.47 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $118,050 | $56.75 |
| Average (mean) | $87,300 | $41.97 |
Half of respiratory therapists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,856.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,428.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,164.62 |
| Weekly | $1,582.31 |
| Hourly | $39.56 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Respiratory Therapist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,950 | 430 |
| New York | $107,810 | 7,010 |
| California | $104,820 | 18,650 |
| Massachusetts | $102,170 | 2,220 |
| Washington | $101,130 | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $100,810 | 3,350 |
| Oregon | $100,560 | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $98,710 | 1,250 |
| Alaska | $97,950 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 | 360 |
| Hawaii | $94,210 | 510 |
| Delaware | $91,080 | 500 |
| Maryland | $88,960 | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $86,900 | 260 |
| Colorado | $86,220 | 2,110 |
| Nevada | $85,480 | 1,270 |
| Connecticut | $85,230 | 1,370 |
| Wisconsin | $84,210 | 1,940 |
| Illinois | $84,090 | 4,880 |
| Vermont | $83,820 | 210 |
| Georgia | $83,700 | 5,150 |
| Virginia | $82,910 | 3,340 |
| Maine | $82,470 | 520 |
| Nebraska | $81,590 | 840 |
| North Dakota | $81,230 | 270 |
| Montana | $81,190 | 390 |
| Florida | $81,160 | 8,820 |
| Utah | $80,650 | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $80,090 | 4,630 |
| Ohio | $79,920 | 6,640 |
| Michigan | $79,850 | 4,520 |
| Arizona | $79,780 | 3,500 |
| Indiana | $79,730 | 3,170 |
| Texas | $79,540 | 12,130 |
| Wyoming | $79,330 | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $78,800 | 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,490 | 6,530 |
| Idaho | $78,460 | 820 |
| Missouri | $78,390 | 3,030 |
| South Carolina | $77,740 | 1,960 |
| Kansas | $76,970 | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $75,240 | 2,520 |
| Iowa | $74,760 | 910 |
| Arkansas | $73,870 | 1,400 |
| Kentucky | $72,750 | 2,530 |
| Tennessee | $72,140 | 3,440 |
| New Mexico | $68,870 | 840 |
| West Virginia | $68,670 | 1,140 |
| South Dakota | $68,240 | 430 |
| Alabama | $66,150 | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $63,270 | 1,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,000 | 800 |
Best-paying metro areas for respiratory therapists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1126. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a respiratory therapist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for respiratory therapists in the U.S. is $82,280 a year, or $39.56 an hour. Pay ranges from $63,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $118,050 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid respiratory therapists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of respiratory therapists in the U.S. earn at least $118,050 a year. The top 25% earn $98,730 or more.
What is the starting pay for respiratory therapists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $63,660 a year, and a quarter of respiratory therapists earn $74,520 or less.
How many respiratory therapists work in the U.S.?
About 139,790 respiratory therapists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.