The average salary for a respiratory therapist in the United States is around $62,879 per year.
Avg Salary
Respiratory therapists earn an average yearly salary of $62,879.
Wages typically start from $47,732 and go up to $82,832.
3% below national average Updated in 2023
Respiratory therapist earnings by seniority
Top-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$39.82 per hour
$82,832 per year
Senior-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$34.95 per hour
$72,694 per year
Mid-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$30.23 per hour
$62,879 per year
Junior-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$26.15 per hour
$54,388 per year
Starting level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$22.95 per hour
$47,732 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Respiratory therapist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $95,540 |
| Alaska | $78,760 |
| New York | $78,610 |
| District of Columbia | $77,810 |
| Washington | $77,730 |
| Hawaii | $77,600 |
| Massachusetts | $77,600 |
| New Jersey | $77,600 |
| Oregon | $76,920 |
| Nevada | $76,600 |
| Maryland | $75,000 |
| Minnesota | $75,000 |
| Connecticut | $74,980 |
| Delaware | $74,970 |
| New Hampshire | $74,660 |
| Wisconsin | $63,110 |
| Colorado | $62,220 |
| Rhode Island | $62,220 |
| Texas | $61,940 |
| Virginia | $61,940 |
| Utah | $61,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,620 |
| New Mexico | $61,530 |
| Wyoming | $61,370 |
| Montana | $61,280 |
| Ohio | $61,170 |
| Illinois | $61,160 |
| Michigan | $61,100 |
| Vermont | $60,950 |
| Arizona | $60,850 |
| Nebraska | $60,850 |
| Maine | $60,580 |
| North Dakota | $60,580 |
| Idaho | $60,570 |
| Florida | $60,530 |
| Indiana | $60,450 |
| South Carolina | $60,450 |
| North Carolina | $60,360 |
| Oklahoma | $60,120 |
| Georgia | $60,110 |
| Missouri | $60,040 |
| Kansas | $60,020 |
| Louisiana | $59,930 |
| Iowa | $59,640 |
| West Virginia | $59,110 |
| Arkansas | $58,980 |
| Tennessee | $58,760 |
| South Dakota | $56,960 |
| Kentucky | $52,800 |
| Alabama | $48,450 |
| Mississippi | $48,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,870 |
How do respiratory therapist salaries compare to similar careers?
Respiratory therapists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than nurses but more than mental health counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse salary | $70K |
| Medical laboratory technologist salary | $65K |
| Cardiovascular technologist salary | $59K |
| Veterinarian salary | $61K |
| Neurodiagnostic technologist salary | $63K |
| Respiratory therapist salary | $63K |
| Biomedical engineer salary | $61K |
| Health services manager salary | $57K |
| Ophthalmic medical technologist salary | $53K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $48K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)