SOC 29-1126 · May 2025
Respiratory Therapist Salary
Respiratory Therapists in the US earn a median of $82,280 a year ($41.97 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Respiratory Therapist pay climbed from $63,950 in 2019 to $87,300 in 2025, a +36.5% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$82,280
Half of all Respiratory Therapists in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+36.5% since 2019 · +3.6% YoY
Hourly
$41.97
Job growth 2025-35
+8.5%
US workers
139,790
BLS series
Annual median wage for Respiratory Therapists in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Respiratory Therapists is $63,660 – $118,050.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$63,660
25th
$74,520
Median
$82,280
75th
$98,730
90th
$118,050
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Respiratory Therapists. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $63,660 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $74,520 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $82,280 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $98,730 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $118,050 |
Geography
Respiratory Therapist pay by state
Respiratory Therapists earn the most in D.C. ($111,950, +36% against the national median) and the least in Mississippi ($63,270). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$82,280
Highest-paying states for respiratory therapists
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $111,950 | +36% | 430 |
| New York | $107,810 | +31% | 7,010 |
| California | $104,820 | +27% | 18,650 |
| Massachusetts | $102,170 | +24% | 2,220 |
| Washington | $101,130 | +23% | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $100,810 | +23% | 3,350 |
| Oregon | $100,560 | +22% | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $98,710 | +20% | 1,250 |
| Alaska | $97,950 | +19% | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 | +17% | 360 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $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 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Respiratory Therapists
Respiratory therapists assess and treat patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders, from premature infants to elderly patients with COPD. The field grew sharply during and after the pandemic. Entry requires an associate's degree and state licensure.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $63,660 – $118,050. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., New York and California. Pay in D.C. runs 1.8 times the level in Mississippi, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as associate's degree, and projects about 8,600 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 8.5% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Respiratory Therapist salary in the US?
How much does a Respiratory Therapist make an hour?
How much do Respiratory Therapists make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Respiratory Therapists the most?
Is the average Respiratory Therapist salary higher than the median?
Is Respiratory Therapist a growing career?
Open positions
Open Respiratory Therapist roles hiring now
Browse current Respiratory Therapist listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 29-1126. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.