Respiratory Therapists · Wisconsin

Respiratory Therapists Salary in Wisconsin

Respiratory Therapists in Wisconsin earn a median annual wage of $84,210 —2.3% above the national median of $82,280. That ranks WI #18 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$84,210
Median hourly
$40.48
Entry level (P10)
$70,520
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$100,320
90th percentile
Employment
1,940
0.7 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+2.3%
U.S. $82,280

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$70,520
$78,800
$84,210
$96,510
$70,520$84,210$100,320
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $84,210.

Employment is only 0.74× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Wisconsin.

Highest-paying states for respiratory therapists

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Wisconsin is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$111,950$53.824300.69
2New York$107,810$51.837,0100.81
3California$104,820$50.4018,6501.14
4Massachusetts$102,170$49.122,2200.68
5Washington$101,130$48.621,8600.58
6New Jersey$100,810$48.473,3500.87
7Oregon$100,560$48.341,3400.76
8Minnesota$98,710$47.461,2500.47
9Alaska$97,950$47.091800.62
10New Hampshire$95,940$46.133600.59

Related occupations in Wisconsin

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Wisconsin.

OccupationWisconsin medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$95,530$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,760$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$45,970$45,750
Physicians, All Other$391,740$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$60,670$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$131,980$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do respiratory therapists make in Wisconsin?

The median annual wage for respiratory therapists in Wisconsin is $84,210, or $40.48 per hour. That is 2.3% above the national median of $82,280.

What is the entry-level respiratory therapists salary in Wisconsin?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $70,520 per year ($33.91/hour). The 25th percentile is $78,800.

How many people work as respiratory therapists in Wisconsin?

About 1,940 people work in this occupation in Wisconsin, or 0.7 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Wisconsin a good state for respiratory therapists?

Wisconsin ranks #18 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.74x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Wisconsin.

Which state pays respiratory therapists the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $111,950 per year, followed by New York ($107,810) and California ($104,820).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes