Respiratory Therapists
Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126) earn a median $82,280 a year ($39.56 an hour) in the United States, with 139,790 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What respiratory therapists do
Respiratory therapists care for people who have trouble breathing. They take primary responsibility for the respiratory care modalities, including supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. They read prescriptions, measure arterial blood gases and review patient information to judge a patient's condition, then set up and operate devices such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas equipment, environmental control systems and aerosol generators according to the specified parameters of treatment. They monitor vital signs, blood gases and blood chemistry, relay results to a physician and consult the physician if adverse reactions occur. They provide emergency care such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage or help with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and work as part of a team of physicians, nurses and other health professionals. They also keep patient charts and inspect, clean, test and maintain the equipment, ordering repairs when needed. Alternate titles such as neonatal intensive care, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and hospital respiratory therapist show the range of roles. About four in five respondents report an associate degree. Nursing is a different occupation.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report an associate degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (83 percent).
Also called: Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist, Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT), Hospital Respiratory Therapist, Inhalation Therapist, NICU Respiratory Therapist (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Respiratory Therapist).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $30.61 | $35.83 | $39.56 | $47.47 | $56.75 | $41.97 | 139,790 |
| Annual | $63,660 | $74,520 | $82,280 | $98,730 | $118,050 | $87,300 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where respiratory therapists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $37.13 | $47.55 | $53.82 | $61.25 | $61.25 | $51.93 | 430 | 0.62 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $77,240 | $98,900 | $111,950 | $127,400 | $127,400 | $108,020 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $39.07 | $46.00 | $51.83 | $61.00 | $63.22 | $52.98 | 7,010 | 0.72 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $81,270 | $95,690 | $107,810 | $126,880 | $131,500 | $110,200 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $37.02 | $42.19 | $50.40 | $62.03 | $69.96 | $52.62 | 18,650 | 1.02 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $77,010 | $87,750 | $104,820 | $129,010 | $145,510 | $109,440 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $38.62 | $41.40 | $49.12 | $51.89 | $59.58 | $48.36 | 2,220 | 0.61 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $80,330 | $86,120 | $102,170 | $107,930 | $123,930 | $100,580 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $36.58 | $40.81 | $48.62 | $51.04 | $61.31 | $47.95 | 1,860 | 0.52 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $76,080 | $84,870 | $101,130 | $106,150 | $127,520 | $99,740 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $37.02 | $42.19 | $50.40 | $62.03 | $69.96 | $52.62 | 18,650 | 1.02 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $77,010 | $87,750 | $104,820 | $129,010 | $145,510 | $109,440 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $29.48 | $33.50 | $38.24 | $45.04 | $47.93 | $38.95 | 12,130 | 0.86 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $61,310 | $69,670 | $79,540 | $93,680 | $99,690 | $81,010 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $30.89 | $36.16 | $39.02 | $42.30 | $48.23 | $39.61 | 8,820 | 0.89 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $64,240 | $75,210 | $81,160 | $87,990 | $100,310 | $82,400 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $39.07 | $46.00 | $51.83 | $61.00 | $63.22 | $52.98 | 7,010 | 0.72 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $81,270 | $95,690 | $107,810 | $126,880 | $131,500 | $110,200 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $31.53 | $36.19 | $38.42 | $43.45 | $46.65 | $39.06 | 6,640 | 1.20 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $65,580 | $75,280 | $79,920 | $90,380 | $97,030 | $81,240 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $47.12 | $63.23 | $71.96 | $81.24 | $85.86 | $70.43 | 1,060 | 0.94 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $98,000 | $131,520 | $149,680 | $168,980 | $178,580 | $146,490 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $47.11 | $65.48 | $65.48 | $74.83 | $75.75 | $64.19 | 190 | 1.32 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $97,980 | $136,190 | $136,200 | $155,640 | $157,560 | $133,510 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $48.10 | $48.10 | $64.85 | $77.53 | $77.53 | $64.19 | 70 | 0.69 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $100,040 | $100,040 | $134,880 | $161,250 | $161,250 | $133,510 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $39.86 | $53.60 | $64.63 | $66.57 | $71.85 | $59.81 | 1,140 | 1.06 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $82,910 | $111,480 | $134,430 | $138,460 | $149,450 | $124,410 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $45.89 | $51.12 | $62.61 | $71.47 | $76.01 | $61.77 | 2,010 | 0.85 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $95,450 | $106,330 | $130,220 | $148,650 | $158,100 | $128,490 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $36.06 | $40.93 | $50.31 | $56.50 | $62.88 | $49.31 | 7,010 | 1.12 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $75,000 | $85,130 | $104,640 | $117,520 | $130,790 | $102,570 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $41.87 | $48.47 | $53.12 | $61.09 | $63.22 | $54.52 | 7,010 | 0.74 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $87,090 | $100,810 | $110,490 | $127,070 | $131,500 | $113,400 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $27.49 | $32.17 | $38.68 | $46.55 | $47.93 | $39.02 | 3,630 | 1.10 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $57,180 | $66,910 | $80,450 | $96,820 | $99,690 | $81,170 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $35.85 | $38.98 | $41.86 | $46.55 | $48.13 | $42.50 | 3,620 | 0.80 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $74,560 | $81,080 | $87,060 | $96,830 | $100,100 | $88,400 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $33.25 | $37.87 | $40.42 | $46.81 | $48.19 | $41.67 | 3,010 | 0.74 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $69,160 | $78,770 | $84,080 | $97,360 | $100,240 | $86,680 | ||||
Top industries employing respiratory therapists
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 74.3% of respiratory therapists nationally (103,830 jobs) at a median $82,730 a year ($39.78 an hour), followed by Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (5.8%) and Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (3.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 103,830 | 74.3% | $82,730 | $39.78 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals NAICS 622300 | 8,160 | 5.8% | $82,690 | $39.76 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 5,480 | 3.9% | $79,270 | $38.11 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 3,880 | 2.8% | $88,020 | $42.32 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 3,710 | 2.7% | $77,890 | $37.45 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (139,790). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,830 for respiratory therapists in May 2021 and $82,280 in May 2025, with employment of 133,410 and 139,790.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,830 | $29.73 | 133,410 |
| May 2022 | $70,540 | $33.91 | 129,910 |
| May 2023 | $77,960 | $37.48 | 129,750 |
| May 2024 | $80,450 | $38.68 | 136,420 |
| May 2025 | $82,280 | $39.56 | 139,790 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $53.82 | $111,950 | $77,240 | $127,400 | 430 | 0.62 | 0.69 |
| 2 | New York profile | $51.83 | $107,810 | $81,270 | $131,500 | 7,010 | 0.72 | 0.81 |
| 3 | California profile | $50.40 | $104,820 | $77,010 | $145,510 | 18,650 | 1.02 | 1.14 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $49.12 | $102,170 | $80,330 | $123,930 | 2,220 | 0.61 | 0.68 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $48.62 | $101,130 | $76,080 | $127,520 | 1,860 | 0.52 | 0.58 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $48.47 | $100,810 | $78,000 | $123,370 | 3,350 | 0.78 | 0.87 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $48.34 | $100,560 | $81,490 | $120,060 | 1,340 | 0.68 | 0.76 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | $47.46 | $98,710 | $79,060 | $110,050 | 1,250 | 0.43 | 0.47 |
| 9 | Alaska profile | $47.09 | $97,950 | $80,250 | $114,590 | 180 | 0.56 | 0.62 |
| 10 | New Hampshire profile | $46.13 | $95,940 | $80,490 | $109,000 | 360 | 0.53 | 0.59 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $45.30 | $94,210 | $80,130 | $102,780 | 510 | 0.82 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Delaware profile | $43.79 | $91,080 | $79,210 | $109,890 | 500 | 1.04 | 1.15 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $42.77 | $88,960 | $69,550 | $106,430 | 1,800 | 0.65 | 0.72 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $41.78 | $86,900 | $73,240 | $122,120 | 260 | 0.51 | 0.57 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $41.45 | $86,220 | $66,560 | $109,070 | 2,110 | 0.73 | 0.82 |
| 16 | Nevada profile | $41.10 | $85,480 | $65,150 | $118,710 | 1,270 | 0.82 | 0.91 |
| 17 | Connecticut profile | $40.98 | $85,230 | $72,410 | $121,620 | 1,370 | 0.81 | 0.90 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $40.48 | $84,210 | $70,520 | $100,320 | 1,940 | 0.66 | 0.74 |
| 19 | Illinois profile | $40.43 | $84,090 | $64,480 | $100,100 | 4,880 | 0.80 | 0.89 |
| 20 | Vermont profile | $40.30 | $83,820 | $50,310 | $99,940 | 210 | 0.71 | 0.79 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | $40.24 | $83,700 | $65,050 | $112,320 | 5,150 | 1.05 | 1.17 |
| 22 | Virginia profile | $39.86 | $82,910 | $65,540 | $106,470 | 3,340 | 0.81 | 0.90 |
| 23 | Maine profile | $39.65 | $82,470 | $61,060 | $98,470 | 520 | 0.81 | 0.90 |
| 24 | Nebraska profile | $39.22 | $81,590 | $64,100 | $96,180 | 840 | 0.82 | 0.91 |
| 25 | North Dakota profile | $39.06 | $81,230 | $65,770 | $100,490 | 270 | 0.64 | 0.71 |
| 26 | Montana profile | $39.03 | $81,190 | $60,800 | $92,890 | 390 | 0.76 | 0.85 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $39.02 | $81,160 | $64,240 | $100,310 | 8,820 | 0.89 | 0.99 |
| 28 | Utah profile | $38.77 | $80,650 | $61,860 | $101,340 | 1,170 | 0.68 | 0.75 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $38.51 | $80,090 | $63,990 | $99,520 | 4,630 | 0.94 | 1.04 |
| 30 | Ohio profile | $38.42 | $79,920 | $65,580 | $97,030 | 6,640 | 1.20 | 1.33 |
| 31 | Michigan profile | $38.39 | $79,850 | $64,770 | $90,210 | 4,520 | 1.03 | 1.14 |
| 32 | Arizona profile | $38.36 | $79,780 | $64,780 | $99,180 | 3,500 | 1.08 | 1.20 |
| 33 | Indiana profile | $38.33 | $79,730 | $62,730 | $94,980 | 3,170 | 0.99 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Texas profile | $38.24 | $79,540 | $61,310 | $99,690 | 12,130 | 0.86 | 0.96 |
| 35 | Wyoming profile | $38.14 | $79,330 | $64,300 | $91,840 | 160 | 0.58 | 0.64 |
| 36 | Oklahoma profile | $37.88 | $78,800 | $64,380 | $95,350 | 2,000 | 1.17 | 1.30 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania profile | $37.74 | $78,490 | $62,440 | $95,520 | 6,530 | 1.08 | 1.20 |
| 38 | Idaho profile | $37.72 | $78,460 | $63,540 | $95,290 | 820 | 0.96 | 1.06 |
| 39 | Missouri profile | $37.69 | $78,390 | $60,950 | $95,730 | 3,030 | 1.03 | 1.15 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $37.38 | $77,740 | $63,700 | $90,670 | 1,960 | 0.85 | 0.94 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $37.01 | $76,970 | $60,470 | $94,600 | 1,450 | 1.01 | 1.13 |
| 42 | Louisiana profile | $36.17 | $75,240 | $61,520 | $91,200 | 2,520 | 1.30 | 1.45 |
| 43 | Iowa profile | $35.94 | $74,760 | $62,860 | $86,510 | 910 | 0.59 | 0.65 |
| 44 | Arkansas profile | $35.51 | $73,870 | $59,550 | $93,480 | 1,400 | 1.07 | 1.19 |
| 45 | Kentucky profile | $34.98 | $72,750 | $58,330 | $92,540 | 2,530 | 1.26 | 1.41 |
| 46 | Tennessee profile | $34.68 | $72,140 | $57,860 | $88,060 | 3,440 | 1.05 | 1.17 |
| 47 | New Mexico profile | $33.11 | $68,870 | $61,990 | $91,220 | 840 | 0.97 | 1.08 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $33.01 | $68,670 | $52,940 | $94,280 | 1,140 | 1.62 | 1.80 |
| 49 | South Dakota profile | $32.81 | $68,240 | $48,530 | $88,830 | 430 | 0.94 | 1.04 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $31.81 | $66,150 | $50,250 | $81,030 | 2,350 | 1.11 | 1.24 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $30.42 | $63,270 | $50,180 | $80,460 | 1,670 | 1.44 | 1.60 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (29-1120), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1126 Respiratory Therapists.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1126, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1126.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.