The average salary for a respiratory therapist in the United States is around $82,280 per year.
Avg Salary
Respiratory therapists earn an average yearly salary of $82,280.
Wages typically start from $63,660 and go up to $118,050.
27% above national average Updated in 2025
Respiratory therapist earnings by seniority
Top-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$56.75 per hour
$118,050 per year
Senior-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$47.47 per hour
$98,730 per year
Mid-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$39.56 per hour
$82,280 per year
Junior-level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$35.83 per hour
$74,520 per year
Starting level respiratory therapist earnings begin at:
$30.61 per hour
$63,660 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Respiratory therapist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $98,710 |
| Alaska | $97,950 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 |
| Hawaii | $94,210 |
| Delaware | $91,080 |
| Maryland | $88,960 |
| Rhode Island | $86,900 |
| Colorado | $86,220 |
| Nevada | $85,480 |
| Connecticut | $85,230 |
| Wisconsin | $84,210 |
| Illinois | $84,090 |
| Vermont | $83,820 |
| Georgia | $83,700 |
| Virginia | $82,910 |
| Maine | $82,470 |
| Nebraska | $81,590 |
| North Dakota | $81,230 |
| Montana | $81,190 |
| Florida | $81,160 |
| Utah | $80,650 |
| North Carolina | $80,090 |
| Ohio | $79,920 |
| Michigan | $79,850 |
| Arizona | $79,780 |
| Indiana | $79,730 |
| Texas | $79,540 |
| Wyoming | $79,330 |
| Oklahoma | $78,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,490 |
| Idaho | $78,460 |
| Missouri | $78,390 |
| South Carolina | $77,740 |
| Kansas | $76,970 |
| Louisiana | $75,240 |
| Iowa | $74,760 |
| Arkansas | $73,870 |
| Kentucky | $72,750 |
| Tennessee | $72,140 |
| New Mexico | $68,870 |
| West Virginia | $68,670 |
| South Dakota | $68,240 |
| Alabama | $66,150 |
| Mississippi | $63,270 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,870 |
| District of Columbia | $111,950 |
| New York | $107,810 |
| California | $104,820 |
| Massachusetts | $102,170 |
| Washington | $101,130 |
| New Jersey | $100,810 |
| Oregon | $100,560 |
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 acute care nurse practitioners but more than cardiovascular technologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Acute care nurse practitioner salary | $98K |
| Registered nurse salary | $98K |
| Audiologist salary | $96K |
| Diagnostic medical sonographer salary | $97K |
| MRI technologist salary | $95K |
| Respiratory therapist salary | $82K |
| Nurse educator salary | $80K |
| Radiologic technologist salary | $80K |
| Orthotist salary | $81K |
| Cardiovascular technologist salary | $74K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)