The average salary for a respiratory therapist in the United States is $80,340, but the range typically falls between $65,530 and $88,820. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $38.62, with a range between $31.5 and $42.7.
There are approximately 129,750 people employed as a respiratory therapist in the United States. With California, Texas, Florida employing the highest number of respiratory therapists.The state with the best pay for a respiratory therapist is District of Columbia, with an average annual salary of $95,240, while Mississippi has the lowest average annual salary of $66,960.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $59,180 | $28.45 |
| 25th Percentile | $65,530 | $31.5 |
| Median | $77,960 | $37.48 |
| 75th Percentile | $88,820 | $42.7 |
| 90th Percentile | $104,480 | $50.23 |
The salary of a respiratory therapist can vary depending on the state. Below is a map of the United States showing the average annual salary for a respiratory therapist in each state. The darker the color, the higher the salary. The best states for respiratory therapists are District of Columbia, California, New York, New Jersey, Alaska while the worst states are Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky.
| State | Low-end | Average | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,440 | $61,520 | $78,570 |
| Alaska | $82,910 | $94,590 | $111,230 |
| Arizona | $62,180 | $74,750 | $85,180 |
| Arkansas | $48,740 | $65,050 | $79,700 |
| California | $76,220 | $103,060 | $137,300 |
| Colorado | $65,680 | $80,270 | $99,190 |
| Connecticut | $66,080 | $85,310 | $103,920 |
| Delaware | $67,870 | $85,960 | $102,080 |
| District of Columbia | $76,550 | $95,240 | $127,390 |
| Florida | $58,760 | $74,190 | $87,160 |
| Georgia | $58,540 | $82,400 | $104,340 |
| Hawaii | $79,260 | $89,960 | $101,220 |
| Idaho | $62,180 | $71,480 | $84,530 |
| Illinois | $62,790 | $79,390 | $95,220 |
| Indiana | $55,110 | $70,360 | $83,140 |
| Iowa | $53,910 | $68,880 | $80,360 |
| Kansas | $54,530 | $70,960 | $86,130 |
| Kentucky | $50,610 | $65,330 | $78,090 |
| Louisiana | $54,100 | $68,140 | $81,170 |
| Maine | $56,740 | $73,130 | $88,590 |
| Maryland | $66,690 | $86,790 | $101,570 |
| Massachusetts | $68,330 | $90,320 | $114,320 |
| Michigan | $59,890 | $71,740 | $82,720 |
| Minnesota | $68,860 | $84,290 | $96,840 |
| Mississippi | $48,670 | $66,960 | $82,800 |
| Missouri | $52,940 | $70,450 | $84,020 |
| Montana | $55,920 | $77,140 | $97,870 |
| Nebraska | $59,550 | $70,860 | $81,640 |
| Nevada | $62,860 | $84,750 | $110,940 |
| New Hampshire | $68,180 | $83,110 | $96,920 |
| New Jersey | $72,810 | $92,350 | $112,990 |
| New Mexico | $58,540 | $68,520 | $81,020 |
| New York | $71,140 | $98,770 | $119,820 |
| North Carolina | $55,760 | $72,600 | $85,530 |
| North Dakota | $55,670 | $74,090 | $85,480 |
| Ohio | $59,800 | $75,150 | $93,530 |
| Oklahoma | $54,140 | $71,210 | $87,520 |
| Oregon | $74,880 | $89,170 | $103,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,260 | $74,930 | $93,050 |
| Rhode Island | $64,150 | $79,660 | $96,430 |
| South Carolina | $60,690 | $71,030 | $80,170 |
| South Dakota | $49,350 | $61,160 | $80,940 |
| Tennessee | $49,830 | $65,020 | $77,670 |
| Texas | $61,750 | $78,130 | $92,960 |
| Utah | $61,450 | $75,390 | $88,570 |
| Vermont | $60,800 | $76,510 | $93,150 |
| Virginia | $59,440 | $76,390 | $97,090 |
| Washington | $74,790 | $93,820 | $115,790 |
| West Virginia | $49,440 | $65,000 | $81,400 |
| Wisconsin | $63,950 | $79,110 | $93,300 |
| Wyoming | $49,060 | $68,940 | $84,360 |
Even between cities, the salary of a respiratory therapist can vary. For example, the areas with the highest average salary for respiratory therapists is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area, CA with an average salary of $126,510.The city with the lowest average salary for respiratory therapists is Dothan, AL with an average salary of $53,540.
Areas with highest average salaries for respiratory therapists
Areas with lowest average salaries for respiratory therapists
The number of respiratory therapists in the United States has been decreasing over the years. Since 2020, the number of respiratory therapists has decreased by -2,140. On average, the number of respiratory therapists has been increasing by -0.4% each year. The salary of respiratory therapists has been increasing. Since 2020, the salary of respiratory therapists has increased by $14,700. On average, the salary of respiratory therapists has been increasing by 5.6% each year.
Respiratory Therapists are part of the healthcare practitioners and technical occupations group. Below is a comparison of the average annual salary for respiratory therapists compared to other jobs in the same occupation group. View all healthcare practitioners and technical occupations jobs here.
$89,020 per year
$270,560 per year
$95,080 per year
$62,870 per year
$312,120 per year
$70,270 per year
