The average salary for a respiratory therapist in California is around $95,540 per year.
Avg Salary
Respiratory therapists earn an average yearly salary of $95,540.
Wages typically start from $61,930 and go up to $125,420.
19% above national average Updated in 2021
Respiratory therapist earnings by seniority
Top-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$60.30 per hour
$125,420 per year
Senior-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$49.85 per hour
$103,690 per year
Mid-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$45.94 per hour
$95,540 per year
Junior-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$36.89 per hour
$76,740 per year
Starting level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$29.77 per hour
$61,930 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 California. On average, they make less than audiologists but more than surgical technologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Audiologist salary | $101K |
| Nurse educator salary | $99K |
| Biomedical engineer salary | $101K |
| Radiologic technologist salary | $96K |
| Respiratory therapist salary | $96K |
| Orthotist salary | $88K |
| Cardiovascular technologist salary | $62K |
| Physical therapist assistant salary | $77K |
| Midwife salary | $61K |
| Surgical technologist salary | $74K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)