Respiratory Therapists salary
Respiratory Therapists earn a median of $82,280 a year ($39.56/hr) in the U.S. – from $35,000 in Puerto Rico to $111,950 in District of Columbia. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$39.56/hr · $82,280 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$63,660$30.61/hr
75% earn more$74,520$35.83/hr
half earn more, half less$82,280$39.56/hr
25% earn more$98,730$47.47/hr
top 10% earn more$118,050$56.75/hr
pulled up by top earners$87,300$41.97/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among respiratory therapists. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for respiratory therapists. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
430 jobs · $53.82/hr$111,950
7,010 jobs · $51.83/hr$107,810
18,650 jobs · $50.40/hr$104,820
2,220 jobs · $49.12/hr$102,170
1,860 jobs · $48.62/hr$101,130
3,350 jobs · $48.47/hr$100,810
1,340 jobs · $48.34/hr$100,560
1,250 jobs · $47.46/hr$98,710
180 jobs · $47.09/hr$97,950
360 jobs · $46.13/hr$95,940
510 jobs · $45.30/hr$94,210
500 jobs · $43.79/hr$91,080
1,800 jobs · $42.77/hr$88,960
260 jobs · $41.78/hr$86,900
2,110 jobs · $41.45/hr$86,220
1,270 jobs · $41.10/hr$85,480
1,370 jobs · $40.98/hr$85,230
1,940 jobs · $40.48/hr$84,210
4,880 jobs · $40.43/hr$84,090
210 jobs · $40.30/hr$83,820
5,150 jobs · $40.24/hr$83,700
3,340 jobs · $39.86/hr$82,910
520 jobs · $39.65/hr$82,470
840 jobs · $39.22/hr$81,590
270 jobs · $39.06/hr$81,230
390 jobs · $39.03/hr$81,190
8,820 jobs · $39.02/hr$81,160
1,170 jobs · $38.77/hr$80,650
4,630 jobs · $38.51/hr$80,090
6,640 jobs · $38.42/hr$79,920
4,520 jobs · $38.39/hr$79,850
3,500 jobs · $38.36/hr$79,780
3,170 jobs · $38.33/hr$79,730
12,130 jobs · $38.24/hr$79,540
160 jobs · $38.14/hr$79,330
2,000 jobs · $37.88/hr$78,800
6,530 jobs · $37.74/hr$78,490
820 jobs · $37.72/hr$78,460
3,030 jobs · $37.69/hr$78,390
1,960 jobs · $37.38/hr$77,740
1,450 jobs · $37.01/hr$76,970
2,520 jobs · $36.17/hr$75,240
910 jobs · $35.94/hr$74,760
1,400 jobs · $35.51/hr$73,870
2,530 jobs · $34.98/hr$72,750
3,440 jobs · $34.68/hr$72,140
840 jobs · $33.11/hr$68,870
1,140 jobs · $33.01/hr$68,670
430 jobs · $32.81/hr$68,240
2,350 jobs · $31.81/hr$66,150
1,670 jobs · $30.42/hr$63,270
800 jobs · $16.83/hr$35,000
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 29-1126. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do respiratory therapists make?
The median wage for respiratory therapists in the U.S. was $39.56 an hour or $82,280 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $74,520 and $98,730 a year.
Which state pays respiratory therapists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for respiratory therapists: $111,950 a year. The lowest published median is in Puerto Rico at $35,000. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many respiratory therapists are there?
BLS estimates 139,790 respiratory therapists were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.