Outpaid

Respiratory Therapists salary

The BLS estimates 139,790 Respiratory Therapists jobs in the U.S. with a median base pay of $82,280 (May 2025, SOC 29-1126). Across 139 metros with published figures, medians range from $38,410 in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR to $149,680 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.

RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS · UNITED STATES · BLS
BLS · UNITED STATES · ALL EMPLOYERS, ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS
P10$63,660P25$74,520MEDIAN$82,280P75$98,730P90$118,050
30 SECONDS · NO SIGNUP · ON-DEVICE

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HIGHEST-PAYING METROS

  1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$149,680 · 1,060 jobs
  2. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$134,430 · 1,140 jobs
  3. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$130,220 · 2,010 jobs
  4. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$123,220 · 200 jobs
  5. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$110,490 · 7,010 jobs
  6. Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$106,910 · 240 jobs
  7. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$105,040 · 1,430 jobs
  8. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$104,640 · 7,010 jobs
  9. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$104,580 · 1,560 jobs
  10. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$104,220 · 1,130 jobs

LARGEST METROS

  1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$104,640 · 7,010 jobs
  2. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$110,490 · 7,010 jobs
  3. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$80,450 · 3,630 jobs
  4. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$87,060 · 3,620 jobs
  5. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$84,080 · 3,010 jobs
  6. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$88,790 · 2,990 jobs
  7. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$95,520 · 2,670 jobs
  8. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$80,880 · 2,620 jobs
  9. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$79,760 · 2,600 jobs
  10. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$100,480 · 2,200 jobs

ALL METROS (A–Z)

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH · Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN · Cleveland, OH · Columbus, OH · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI · Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX · Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN · Kansas City, MO-KS · Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN · New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ · Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ · Pittsburgh, PA · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · St. Louis, MO-IL · Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Questions

What is the median Respiratory Therapists salary in the U.S.?

$82,280 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $74,520–$98,730.

Where do Respiratory Therapists earn the most?

Highest metro medians: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($149,680), Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA ($134,430), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($130,220). Cost of living differs, so compare offers locally.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025 (metro, state and national estimates). Employer filing counts: U.S. DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data FY2026 Q3, visa-sponsored positions only.