How Much Do Respiratory Therapists Make? (2023)

$61,830
Per Year
$29.73
Per Hour

How Much Money Do Respiratory Therapists Make?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that respiratory therapists make a median salary of $61,830 each year or $29.73 per hour. The bottom 10 percent of respiratory therapists earn less than $47,380 per year, while the top 10 percent of respiratory therapists earn more than $95,540 annually.

How Much Do Respiratory Therapists Get Starting Out?

The BLS does not provide average compensation data for entry-level positions for respiratory therapists just starting out, but the bottom 25 percent of respiratory therapists earn $59,280 each year.

How Many Respiratory Therapists Are There in the United States?

There are 135,800 respiratory therapists in the U.S.

How Much Do Respiratory Therapists Earn In Each State?

The table below compares respiratory therapist salaries across states and U.S. territories (Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wages May 2020). You can also find data for the number of respiratory therapists in each state as well as the number of respiratory therapists per 1,000 jobs—a figure that can help you determine the job's popularity in a given location. Not all locations have employment statistics.

Program outcomes may vary depending on each institution's specific curriculum and employment opportunities are not guranteed.