Respiratory Therapists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for respiratory therapists is $82,280, or $39.56 per hour. About 139,790 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $111,950 in District of Columbia to $63,270 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $111,950 | $53.82 | 430 | 0.69 |
| 2 | New York | $107,810 | $51.83 | 7,010 | 0.81 |
| 3 | California | $104,820 | $50.40 | 18,650 | 1.14 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $102,170 | $49.12 | 2,220 | 0.68 |
| 5 | Washington | $101,130 | $48.62 | 1,860 | 0.58 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $100,810 | $48.47 | 3,350 | 0.87 |
| 7 | Oregon | $100,560 | $48.34 | 1,340 | 0.76 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $98,710 | $47.46 | 1,250 | 0.47 |
| 9 | Alaska | $97,950 | $47.09 | 180 | 0.62 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $95,940 | $46.13 | 360 | 0.59 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $94,210 | $45.30 | 510 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Delaware | $91,080 | $43.79 | 500 | 1.15 |
| 13 | Maryland | $88,960 | $42.77 | 1,800 | 0.72 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $86,900 | $41.78 | 260 | 0.57 |
| 15 | Colorado | $86,220 | $41.45 | 2,110 | 0.82 |
| 16 | Nevada | $85,480 | $41.10 | 1,270 | 0.91 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $85,230 | $40.98 | 1,370 | 0.90 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $84,210 | $40.48 | 1,940 | 0.74 |
| 19 | Illinois | $84,090 | $40.43 | 4,880 | 0.89 |
| 20 | Vermont | $83,820 | $40.30 | 210 | 0.79 |
| 21 | Georgia | $83,700 | $40.24 | 5,150 | 1.17 |
| 22 | Virginia | $82,910 | $39.86 | 3,340 | 0.90 |
| 23 | Maine | $82,470 | $39.65 | 520 | 0.90 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $81,590 | $39.22 | 840 | 0.91 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $81,230 | $39.06 | 270 | 0.71 |
| 26 | Montana | $81,190 | $39.03 | 390 | 0.85 |
| 27 | Florida | $81,160 | $39.02 | 8,820 | 0.99 |
| 28 | Utah | $80,650 | $38.77 | 1,170 | 0.75 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $80,090 | $38.51 | 4,630 | 1.04 |
| 30 | Ohio | $79,920 | $38.42 | 6,640 | 1.33 |
| 31 | Michigan | $79,850 | $38.39 | 4,520 | 1.14 |
| 32 | Arizona | $79,780 | $38.36 | 3,500 | 1.20 |
| 33 | Indiana | $79,730 | $38.33 | 3,170 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Texas | $79,540 | $38.24 | 12,130 | 0.96 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $79,330 | $38.14 | 160 | 0.64 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $78,800 | $37.88 | 2,000 | 1.30 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $78,490 | $37.74 | 6,530 | 1.20 |
| 38 | Idaho | $78,460 | $37.72 | 820 | 1.06 |
| 39 | Missouri | $78,390 | $37.69 | 3,030 | 1.15 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $77,740 | $37.38 | 1,960 | 0.94 |
| 41 | Kansas | $76,970 | $37.01 | 1,450 | 1.13 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $75,240 | $36.17 | 2,520 | 1.45 |
| 43 | Iowa | $74,760 | $35.94 | 910 | 0.65 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $73,870 | $35.51 | 1,400 | 1.19 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $72,750 | $34.98 | 2,530 | 1.41 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $72,140 | $34.68 | 3,440 | 1.17 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $68,870 | $33.11 | 840 | 1.08 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $68,670 | $33.01 | 1,140 | 1.80 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $68,240 | $32.81 | 430 | 1.04 |
| 50 | Alabama | $66,150 | $31.81 | 2,350 | 1.24 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $63,270 | $30.42 | 1,670 | 1.60 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do respiratory therapists make?
The median annual wage for respiratory therapists in the United States is $82,280, or $39.56 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $63,660, and the top 10% earn $118,050.
How many respiratory therapists are employed in the U.S.?
About 139,790 people work as respiratory therapists nationwide.
Which state pays respiratory therapists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $111,950, followed by New York ($107,810) and California ($104,820).
Which state pays respiratory therapists the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $63,270.
Where are respiratory therapists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is West Virginia at 1.80×.