How much does a respiratory therapist make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $39.56 an hour or $6,857 a month.
- Hourly
- $39.56
- Average (mean)
- $87,300
- Jobs
- 139,790
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $63,660 | $30.61 | |
| 25th | $74,520 | $35.83 | |
| Median | $82,280 | $39.56 | |
| 75th | $98,730 | $47.47 | |
| 90th | $118,100 | $56.75 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| District of Columbia | $112,000 |
| New York | $107,800 |
| California | $104,800 |
| Massachusetts | $102,200 |
| Washington | $101,100 |
| New Jersey | $100,800 |
| Oregon | $100,600 |
| Minnesota | $98,710 |
| Alaska | $97,950 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 |
| Hawaii | $94,210 |
| Delaware | $91,080 |
| Maryland | $88,960 |
| Rhode Island | $86,900 |
| Colorado | $86,220 |
| Nevada | $85,480 |
| Connecticut | $85,230 |
| Wisconsin | $84,210 |
| Illinois | $84,090 |
| Vermont | $83,820 |
| Georgia | $83,700 |
| Virginia | $82,910 |
| Maine | $82,470 |
| Nebraska | $81,590 |
| North Dakota | $81,230 |
| Montana | $81,190 |
| Florida | $81,160 |
| Utah | $80,650 |
| North Carolina | $80,090 |
| Ohio | $79,920 |
| Michigan | $79,850 |
| Arizona | $79,780 |
| Indiana | $79,730 |
| Texas | $79,540 |
| Wyoming | $79,330 |
| Oklahoma | $78,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,490 |
| Idaho | $78,460 |
| Missouri | $78,390 |
| South Carolina | $77,740 |
| Kansas | $76,970 |
| Louisiana | $75,240 |
| Iowa | $74,760 |
| Arkansas | $73,870 |
| Kentucky | $72,750 |
| Tennessee | $72,140 |
| New Mexico | $68,870 |
| West Virginia | $68,670 |
| South Dakota | $68,240 |
| Alabama | $66,150 |
| Mississippi | $63,270 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $149,700 |
| Vallejo, CA | $136,200 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $134,900 |
| Sacramento, CA | $134,400 |
| San Francisco, CA | $130,200 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $123,200 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $112,400 |
| New York, NY | $110,500 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $108,600 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $106,900 |
| Reno, NV | $105,100 |
| San Diego, CA | $105,000 |
| Napa, CA | $104,700 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $104,600 |
| Boston, MA | $104,600 |
In other countries
Respiratory Therapist belongs to the international group "Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Occupational Therapist$100,300
- Physical Therapist$102,800
- Radiation Therapist$105,300
- Recreational Therapist$61,960
- Speech-Language Pathologist$97,870
- Exercise Physiologist$59,460
- Therapist$77,930
- Veterinarian$130,100
- Registered Nurse$97,550
- Nurse Anesthetist$236,600
Frequently asked questions
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $39.56 ($82,280 a year).
How much does a respiratory therapist make a month?
About $6,857 a month before tax, based on a median of $82,280 a year.
How much does a respiratory therapist make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $63,660 or less a year ($30.61 an hour); the top 10% make $118,100 or more.
Which state pays respiratory therapists the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $112,000 a year, followed by New York ($107,800) and California ($104,800).
Which city pays respiratory therapists the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $149,700 a year.
How many respiratory therapists are there in the United States?
About 139,790 people work as respiratory therapists.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.