Salary · SOC 29-1126
Respiratory Therapist (RT) salary and hourly pay
BLS data for May 2025: median, mean, and percentile pay, per year and per hour, for every state and the largest metro areas.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page
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Respiratory Therapist pay in the US
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Median (50th percentile) | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Mean (average) | $87,300 | $41.97 |
| 10th percentile | $63,660 | $30.61 |
| 25th percentile | $74,520 | $35.83 |
| 75th percentile | $98,730 | $47.47 |
| 90th percentile | $118,050 | $56.75 |
Employment: 139,790.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page
Respiratory Therapist salary by state
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,950 | $53.82 | 430 |
| New York | $107,810 | $51.83 | 7,010 |
| California | $104,820 | $50.40 | 18,650 |
| Massachusetts | $102,170 | $49.12 | 2,220 |
| Washington | $101,130 | $48.62 | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $100,810 | $48.47 | 3,350 |
| Oregon | $100,560 | $48.34 | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $98,710 | $47.46 | 1,250 |
| Alaska | $97,950 | $47.09 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 | $46.13 | 360 |
| Hawaii | $94,210 | $45.30 | 510 |
| Delaware | $91,080 | $43.79 | 500 |
| Maryland | $88,960 | $42.77 | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $86,900 | $41.78 | 260 |
| Colorado | $86,220 | $41.45 | 2,110 |
| Nevada | $85,480 | $41.10 | 1,270 |
| Connecticut | $85,230 | $40.98 | 1,370 |
| Wisconsin | $84,210 | $40.48 | 1,940 |
| Illinois | $84,090 | $40.43 | 4,880 |
| Vermont | $83,820 | $40.30 | 210 |
| Georgia | $83,700 | $40.24 | 5,150 |
| Virginia | $82,910 | $39.86 | 3,340 |
| Maine | $82,470 | $39.65 | 520 |
| Nebraska | $81,590 | $39.22 | 840 |
| North Dakota | $81,230 | $39.06 | 270 |
| Montana | $81,190 | $39.03 | 390 |
| Florida | $81,160 | $39.02 | 8,820 |
| Utah | $80,650 | $38.77 | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $80,090 | $38.51 | 4,630 |
| Ohio | $79,920 | $38.42 | 6,640 |
| Michigan | $79,850 | $38.39 | 4,520 |
| Arizona | $79,780 | $38.36 | 3,500 |
| Indiana | $79,730 | $38.33 | 3,170 |
| Texas | $79,540 | $38.24 | 12,130 |
| Wyoming | $79,330 | $38.14 | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $78,800 | $37.88 | 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,490 | $37.74 | 6,530 |
| Idaho | $78,460 | $37.72 | 820 |
| Missouri | $78,390 | $37.69 | 3,030 |
| South Carolina | $77,740 | $37.38 | 1,960 |
| Kansas | $76,970 | $37.01 | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $75,240 | $36.17 | 2,520 |
| Iowa | $74,760 | $35.94 | 910 |
| Arkansas | $73,870 | $35.51 | 1,400 |
| Kentucky | $72,750 | $34.98 | 2,530 |
| Tennessee | $72,140 | $34.68 | 3,440 |
| New Mexico | $68,870 | $33.11 | 840 |
| West Virginia | $68,670 | $33.01 | 1,140 |
| South Dakota | $68,240 | $32.81 | 430 |
| Alabama | $66,150 | $31.81 | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $63,270 | $30.42 | 1,670 |
Download the state table (CSV)
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page
Respiratory Therapist salary in the largest metro areas
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page
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Questions
How much does a RT make per hour in the US?
The median hourly wage was $39.56 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $30.61 and the 90th was $56.75.
What is the average RT salary in the US?
BLS reports a mean (average) of $87,300 a year and a median of $82,280 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.
Which state pays respiratory therapists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median, $111,950 a year, and Mississippi the lowest, $63,270 (BLS, May 2025, states with a published median).
Where do these numbers come from?
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-1126. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.