29 Series · SOC 29-1126
Respiratory Therapists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $82,280
- Median / year
- +2.3%
- 2024→2025
- $118,050
- Top 10% earn
- +12.1%
- Growth '24–'34
- 139,790
- Estimated US jobs
Respiratory Therapists earn a median of $82,280 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $82,280, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $63,660 (10th percentile) to $118,050 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 139,790 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($111,950).
The pay verdict
Respiratory Therapists earn a median of $82,280, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 75% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #44 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 12.1% by 2034.
- $82,280
- Median annual wage
- Top 25%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #44 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $111,950. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Respiratory Therapists moved from $61,330 in May 2019 to $82,280 in May 2025 (+34.2%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Respiratory Therapists sits +9.7 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126) has a national median of $82,280 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $63,660 to $118,050, and the published mean is $87,300. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 139,790 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 395 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $80,450 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $82,280 in May 2025, a rise of $1,830 (+2.3%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +12.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 8,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $111,950, which is +36% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $149,680. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$82,280
per year
Median Hourly
$39.56/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$87,300
average
Employment
139,790
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Respiratory Therapists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$82,280 Top 25% higher than 75% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 (this entry) | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$82,280 · 75th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Respiratory Therapists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
- Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
- Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
- Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
- Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
- Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
- Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
- Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
- Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
- Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
- Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
- Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
- Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
- Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
- Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
- Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
- Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
- Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
- Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
- Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
- Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
- Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
- Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
- Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+12.1%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
8,800
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+16,800
139,600 (2024) → 156,400 (2034)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Respiratory Therapists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Perform endotracheal intubation to maintain open airways for patients who are unable to breathe on their own.
- ▸ Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- ▸ Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
- ▸ Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
- ▸ Work as part of a team of physicians, nurses, or other healthcare professionals to manage patient care by assisting with medical procedures or related duties.
- ▸ Maintain charts that contain patients' pertinent identification and therapy information.
- ▸ Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
- ▸ Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
- ▸ Inspect, clean, test, and maintain respiratory therapy equipment to ensure equipment is functioning safely and efficiently, ordering repairs when necessary.
- ▸ Explain treatment procedures to patients to gain cooperation and allay fears.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Respiratory Therapists pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $57,790 |
| 2016 | $58,670 |
| 2017 | $59,710 |
| 2018 | $60,280 |
| 2019 | $61,330 |
| 2020 | $62,810 |
| 2021 | $61,830 |
| 2022 | $70,540 |
| 2023 | $77,960 |
| 2024 | $80,450 |
| 2025 | $82,280 |
2015 median
$57,790
2025 median
$82,280
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$20,950 (+34.2%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+5%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $57,790 | First banked release | 120,330 |
| May 2016 | $58,670 | +1.5% | 126,770 |
| May 2017 | $59,710 | +1.8% | 128,250 |
| May 2018 | $60,280 | +1.0% | 129,600 |
| May 2019 | $61,330 | Classification break | 132,090 |
| May 2020 | $62,810 | +2.4% | 131,890 |
| May 2021 | $61,830 | -1.6% | 133,410 |
| May 2022 | $70,540 | +14.1% | 129,910 |
| May 2023 | $77,960 | +10.5% | 129,750 |
| May 2024 | $80,450 | +3.2% | 136,420 |
| May 2025 | $82,280 | +2.3% | 139,790 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $57,790 in May 2015 to $82,280 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +5% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 132,090 in May 2019 to 139,790 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $111,950 | +36% above national |
| 2 | New York | $107,810 | +31% above national |
| 3 | California | $104,820 | +27% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $102,170 | +24% above national |
| 5 | Washington | $101,130 | +23% above national |
| 6 | New Jersey | $100,810 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Oregon | $100,560 | +22% above national |
| 8 | Minnesota | $98,710 | +20% above national |
| 9 | Alaska | $97,950 | +19% above national |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $95,940 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Hawaii | $94,210 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Delaware | $91,080 | +11% above national |
| 13 | Maryland | $88,960 | +8% above national |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $86,900 | +6% above national |
| 15 | Colorado | $86,220 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Nevada | $85,480 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Connecticut | $85,230 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $84,210 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Illinois | $84,090 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Vermont | $83,820 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Georgia | $83,700 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Virginia | $82,910 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Maine | $82,470 | same as national |
| 24 | Nebraska | $81,590 | 1% below national |
| 25 | North Dakota | $81,230 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Montana | $81,190 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Florida | $81,160 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Utah | $80,650 | 2% below national |
| 29 | North Carolina | $80,090 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Ohio | $79,920 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Michigan | $79,850 | 3% below national |
| 32 | Arizona | $79,780 | 3% below national |
| 33 | Indiana | $79,730 | 3% below national |
| 34 | Texas | $79,540 | 3% below national |
| 35 | Wyoming | $79,330 | 4% below national |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $78,800 | 4% below national |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $78,490 | 5% below national |
| 38 | Idaho | $78,460 | 5% below national |
| 39 | Missouri | $78,390 | 5% below national |
| 40 | South Carolina | $77,740 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Kansas | $76,970 | 6% below national |
| 42 | Louisiana | $75,240 | 9% below national |
| 43 | Iowa | $74,760 | 9% below national |
| 44 | Arkansas | $73,870 | 10% below national |
| 45 | Kentucky | $72,750 | 12% below national |
| 46 | Tennessee | $72,140 | 12% below national |
| 47 | New Mexico | $68,870 | 16% below national |
| 48 | West Virginia | $68,670 | 17% below national |
| 49 | South Dakota | $68,240 | 17% below national |
| 50 | Alabama | $66,150 | 20% below national |
| 51 | Mississippi | $63,270 | 23% below national |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $35,000 | 57% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 278 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $149,680 | +82% above national |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $136,200 | +66% above national |
| 3 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $134,880 | +64% above national |
| 4 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $134,430 | +63% above national |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,220 | +58% above national |
| 6 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $123,220 | +50% above national |
| 7 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $112,430 | +37% above national |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $110,490 | +34% above national |
| 9 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $108,600 | +32% above national |
| 10 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $106,910 | +30% above national |
| 11 | Reno, NV | $105,140 | +28% above national |
| 12 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $105,040 | +28% above national |
| 13 | Napa, CA | $104,670 | +27% above national |
| 14 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $104,640 | +27% above national |
| 15 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $104,580 | +27% above national |
| 16 | Salem, OR | $104,360 | +27% above national |
| 17 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $104,350 | +27% above national |
| 18 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $104,220 | +27% above national |
| 19 | Modesto, CA | $103,870 | +26% above national |
| 20 | Redding, CA | $103,830 | +26% above national |
| 21 | Binghamton, NY | $103,200 | +25% above national |
| 22 | Medford, OR | $102,780 | +25% above national |
| 23 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $102,760 | +25% above national |
| 24 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $102,250 | +24% above national |
| 25 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $102,050 | +24% above national |
| 26 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $101,990 | +24% above national |
| 27 | Merced, CA | $101,810 | +24% above national |
| 28 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $100,920 | +23% above national |
| 29 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $100,480 | +22% above national |
| 30 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $100,030 | +22% above national |
| 31 | Rome, GA | $98,720 | +20% above national |
| 32 | Rochester, MN | $98,700 | +20% above national |
| 33 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $98,320 | +19% above national |
| 34 | Worcester, MA | $98,120 | +19% above national |
| 35 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $98,010 | +19% above national |
| 36 | Anchorage, AK | $97,950 | +19% above national |
| 37 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $95,520 | +16% above national |
| 38 | Kingston, NY | $95,170 | +16% above national |
| 39 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $94,210 | +14% above national |
| 40 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $93,300 | +13% above national |
| 41 | Boulder, CO | $91,880 | +12% above national |
| 42 | Utica-Rome, NY | $91,610 | +11% above national |
| 43 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $89,660 | +9% above national |
| 44 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $89,040 | +8% above national |
| 45 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $88,790 | +8% above national |
| 46 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $88,020 | +7% above national |
| 47 | Colorado Springs, CO | $87,890 | +7% above national |
| 48 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $87,820 | +7% above national |
| 49 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $87,060 | +6% above national |
| 50 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $86,720 | +5% above national |
| 51 | Charlottesville, VA | $86,720 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $86,660 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $86,460 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $86,440 | +5% above national |
| 55 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $86,300 | +5% above national |
| 56 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $86,220 | +5% above national |
| 57 | Springfield, MA | $86,030 | +5% above national |
| 58 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $85,930 | +4% above national |
| 59 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $85,870 | +4% above national |
| 60 | Syracuse, NY | $85,860 | +4% above national |
| 61 | Duluth, MN-WI | $85,700 | +4% above national |
| 62 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $85,250 | +4% above national |
| 63 | New Haven, CT | $85,230 | +4% above national |
| 64 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $85,110 | +3% above national |
| 65 | Bismarck, ND | $84,570 | +3% above national |
| 66 | Kankakee, IL | $84,490 | +3% above national |
| 67 | Fargo, ND-MN | $84,480 | +3% above national |
| 68 | Dover, DE | $84,410 | +3% above national |
| 69 | Reading, PA | $84,330 | +2% above national |
| 70 | Appleton, WI | $84,300 | +2% above national |
| 71 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $84,080 | +2% above national |
| 72 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $83,880 | +2% above national |
| 73 | Fresno, CA | $83,340 | +1% above national |
| 74 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $83,310 | +1% above national |
| 75 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $83,110 | +1% above national |
| 76 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $82,990 | +1% above national |
| 77 | Rochester, NY | $82,990 | +1% above national |
| 78 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $82,860 | +1% above national |
| 79 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $82,760 | +1% above national |
| 80 | Missoula, MT | $82,580 | same as national |
| 81 | Ogden, UT | $82,380 | same as national |
| 82 | Green Bay, WI | $82,300 | same as national |
| 83 | Toledo, OH | $82,280 | same as national |
| 84 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $82,200 | same as national |
| 85 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $82,200 | same as national |
| 86 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $82,070 | same as national |
| 87 | Visalia, CA | $82,030 | same as national |
| 88 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,020 | same as national |
| 89 | Columbus, OH | $81,860 | 1% below national |
| 90 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $81,770 | 1% below national |
| 91 | Jacksonville, FL | $81,760 | 1% below national |
| 92 | Richmond, VA | $81,750 | 1% below national |
| 93 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $81,730 | 1% below national |
| 94 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $81,720 | 1% below national |
| 95 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $81,630 | 1% below national |
| 96 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $81,600 | 1% below national |
| 97 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $81,600 | 1% below national |
| 98 | Lincoln, NE | $81,590 | 1% below national |
| 99 | Asheville, NC | $81,550 | 1% below national |
| 100 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $81,540 | 1% below national |
| 101 | Madison, WI | $81,530 | 1% below national |
| 102 | Lynchburg, VA | $81,470 | 1% below national |
| 103 | Battle Creek, MI | $81,440 | 1% below national |
| 104 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $81,420 | 1% below national |
| 105 | Grand Junction, CO | $81,290 | 1% below national |
| 106 | Monroe, MI | $81,290 | 1% below national |
| 107 | Omaha, NE-IA | $81,270 | 1% below national |
| 108 | Bangor, ME | $81,020 | 2% below national |
| 109 | Wilmington, NC | $81,020 | 2% below national |
| 110 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $80,990 | 2% below national |
| 111 | Eau Claire, WI | $80,900 | 2% below national |
| 112 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $80,880 | 2% below national |
| 113 | Pueblo, CO | $80,860 | 2% below national |
| 114 | Oklahoma City, OK | $80,810 | 2% below national |
| 115 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $80,790 | 2% below national |
| 116 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $80,730 | 2% below national |
| 117 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $80,680 | 2% below national |
| 118 | Fayetteville, NC | $80,650 | 2% below national |
| 119 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $80,530 | 2% below national |
| 120 | Amarillo, TX | $80,470 | 2% below national |
| 121 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $80,450 | 2% below national |
| 122 | Cleveland, OH | $80,360 | 2% below national |
| 123 | Tulsa, OK | $80,250 | 2% below national |
| 124 | Winston-Salem, NC | $80,250 | 2% below national |
| 125 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $80,140 | 3% below national |
| 126 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $80,090 | 3% below national |
| 127 | Lancaster, PA | $80,060 | 3% below national |
| 128 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $80,040 | 3% below national |
| 129 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $79,960 | 3% below national |
| 130 | Chambersburg, PA | $79,910 | 3% below national |
| 131 | Ann Arbor, MI | $79,850 | 3% below national |
| 132 | Billings, MT | $79,820 | 3% below national |
| 133 | Columbia, SC | $79,780 | 3% below national |
| 134 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $79,760 | 3% below national |
| 135 | York-Hanover, PA | $79,540 | 3% below national |
| 136 | Twin Falls, ID | $79,520 | 3% below national |
| 137 | Mobile, AL | $79,490 | 3% below national |
| 138 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $79,450 | 3% below national |
| 139 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $79,410 | 3% below national |
| 140 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $79,210 | 4% below national |
| 141 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $79,150 | 4% below national |
| 142 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $79,140 | 4% below national |
| 143 | Evansville, IN | $78,990 | 4% below national |
| 144 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $78,980 | 4% below national |
| 145 | Tallahassee, FL | $78,950 | 4% below national |
| 146 | Akron, OH | $78,940 | 4% below national |
| 147 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $78,880 | 4% below national |
| 148 | Roanoke, VA | $78,820 | 4% below national |
| 149 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $78,750 | 4% below national |
| 150 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $78,750 | 4% below national |
| 151 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $78,740 | 4% below national |
| 152 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $78,700 | 4% below national |
| 153 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $78,700 | 4% below national |
| 154 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $78,650 | 4% below national |
| 155 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $78,600 | 4% below national |
| 156 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $78,560 | 5% below national |
| 157 | Florence, SC | $78,550 | 5% below national |
| 158 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $78,530 | 5% below national |
| 159 | Longview, TX | $78,520 | 5% below national |
| 160 | Boise City, ID | $78,460 | 5% below national |
| 161 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $78,390 | 5% below national |
| 162 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $78,380 | 5% below national |
| 163 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $78,350 | 5% below national |
| 164 | Springfield, IL | $78,340 | 5% below national |
| 165 | Tucson, AZ | $78,320 | 5% below national |
| 166 | Williamsport, PA | $78,300 | 5% below national |
| 167 | Savannah, GA | $78,200 | 5% below national |
| 168 | Corpus Christi, TX | $78,130 | 5% below national |
| 169 | Bloomington, IN | $78,100 | 5% below national |
| 170 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $78,080 | 5% below national |
| 171 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $78,070 | 5% below national |
| 172 | Springfield, OH | $78,020 | 5% below national |
| 173 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $77,900 | 5% below national |
| 174 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $77,830 | 5% below national |
| 175 | Flint, MI | $77,760 | 5% below national |
| 176 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $77,720 | 6% below national |
| 177 | Peoria, IL | $77,660 | 6% below national |
| 178 | Rockford, IL | $77,640 | 6% below national |
| 179 | Kenosha, WI | $77,570 | 6% below national |
| 180 | Lima, OH | $77,570 | 6% below national |
| 181 | Jefferson City, MO | $77,500 | 6% below national |
| 182 | Fort Wayne, IN | $77,390 | 6% below national |
| 183 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $77,390 | 6% below national |
| 184 | Midland, TX | $77,370 | 6% below national |
| 185 | Enid, OK | $77,230 | 6% below national |
| 186 | Topeka, KS | $77,190 | 6% below national |
| 187 | Columbus, GA-AL | $77,150 | 6% below national |
| 188 | Montgomery, AL | $76,920 | 7% below national |
| 189 | Tyler, TX | $76,800 | 7% below national |
| 190 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $76,680 | 7% below national |
| 191 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $76,660 | 7% below national |
| 192 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $76,590 | 7% below national |
| 193 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $76,560 | 7% below national |
| 194 | Warner Robins, GA | $76,560 | 7% below national |
| 195 | Albany, GA | $76,540 | 7% below national |
| 196 | Lubbock, TX | $76,530 | 7% below national |
| 197 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $76,440 | 7% below national |
| 198 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $76,220 | 7% below national |
| 199 | Lafayette, LA | $76,210 | 7% below national |
| 200 | San Angelo, TX | $76,200 | 7% below national |
| 201 | Gainesville, FL | $76,170 | 7% below national |
| 202 | Victoria, TX | $76,110 | 7% below national |
| 203 | Paducah, KY-IL | $76,100 | 8% below national |
| 204 | Hammond, LA | $75,990 | 8% below national |
| 205 | Monroe, LA | $75,770 | 8% below national |
| 206 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $75,650 | 8% below national |
| 207 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $75,650 | 8% below national |
| 208 | Bloomington, IL | $75,490 | 8% below national |
| 209 | El Paso, TX | $75,490 | 8% below national |
| 210 | Pittsburgh, PA | $75,470 | 8% below national |
| 211 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $75,460 | 8% below national |
| 212 | Waco, TX | $75,370 | 8% below national |
| 213 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $75,300 | 8% below national |
| 214 | Iowa City, IA | $75,110 | 9% below national |
| 215 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $74,660 | 9% below national |
| 216 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $74,650 | 9% below national |
| 217 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $74,370 | 10% below national |
| 218 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $74,350 | 10% below national |
| 219 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $74,300 | 10% below national |
| 220 | Baton Rouge, LA | $74,220 | 10% below national |
| 221 | Dubuque, IA | $74,190 | 10% below national |
| 222 | Elizabethtown, KY | $74,040 | 10% below national |
| 223 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $73,940 | 10% below national |
| 224 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $73,860 | 10% below national |
| 225 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $73,840 | 10% below national |
| 226 | Rocky Mount, NC | $73,830 | 10% below national |
| 227 | State College, PA | $73,690 | 10% below national |
| 228 | Lake Charles, LA | $73,680 | 10% below national |
| 229 | Yuma, AZ | $73,580 | 11% below national |
| 230 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $73,530 | 11% below national |
| 231 | Pocatello, ID | $73,270 | 11% below national |
| 232 | Mansfield, OH | $72,860 | 11% below national |
| 233 | Springfield, MO | $72,490 | 12% below national |
| 234 | Wichita, KS | $71,330 | 13% below national |
| 235 | Abilene, TX | $71,260 | 13% below national |
| 236 | Johnstown, PA | $71,210 | 13% below national |
| 237 | Alexandria, LA | $71,140 | 14% below national |
| 238 | Casper, WY | $70,980 | 14% below national |
| 239 | Columbia, MO | $69,400 | 16% below national |
| 240 | Sandusky, OH | $69,360 | 16% below national |
| 241 | Greenville, NC | $69,310 | 16% below national |
| 242 | Albuquerque, NM | $68,870 | 16% below national |
| 243 | Charleston, WV | $68,670 | 17% below national |
| 244 | Bowling Green, KY | $68,490 | 17% below national |
| 245 | Spartanburg, SC | $67,700 | 18% below national |
| 246 | Beckley, WV | $67,600 | 18% below national |
| 247 | Farmington, NM | $67,600 | 18% below national |
| 248 | Valdosta, GA | $67,600 | 18% below national |
| 249 | Jackson, MS | $67,500 | 18% below national |
| 250 | Birmingham, AL | $67,480 | 18% below national |
| 251 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $66,990 | 19% below national |
| 252 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $66,910 | 19% below national |
| 253 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $66,830 | 19% below national |
| 254 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $66,740 | 19% below national |
| 255 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $66,660 | 19% below national |
| 256 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $66,460 | 19% below national |
| 257 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $66,040 | 20% below national |
| 258 | Joplin, MO-KS | $65,630 | 20% below national |
| 259 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $65,390 | 21% below national |
| 260 | Jackson, TN | $65,310 | 21% below national |
| 261 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $65,070 | 21% below national |
| 262 | Knoxville, TN | $64,800 | 21% below national |
| 263 | Huntsville, AL | $64,330 | 22% below national |
| 264 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $64,140 | 22% below national |
| 265 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $63,800 | 22% below national |
| 266 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $63,630 | 23% below national |
| 267 | Las Cruces, NM | $62,960 | 23% below national |
| 268 | Gadsden, AL | $62,800 | 24% below national |
| 269 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $62,740 | 24% below national |
| 270 | Erie, PA | $62,480 | 24% below national |
| 271 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $62,260 | 24% below national |
| 272 | Dothan, AL | $61,290 | 26% below national |
| 273 | Hattiesburg, MS | $60,170 | 27% below national |
| 274 | Altoona, PA | $59,980 | 27% below national |
| 275 | Jacksonville, NC | $54,790 | 33% below national |
| 276 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $38,410 | 53% below national |
| 277 | Mayaguez, PR | $26,910 | 67% below national |
| 278 | Ponce, PR | $25,780 | 69% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Acupuncturists
SOC 29-1291
Anesthesiologists
SOC 29-1211
Athletic Trainers
SOC 29-9091
Audiologists
SOC 29-1181
Cardiologists
SOC 29-1212
Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($82,280 here) and reported employment (139,790 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Respiratory Therapists pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $98,730/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $111,950/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.