Respiratory therapists employed in the United States generally earn salaries in the range from $36,514 to $70,664 a year including bonuses and contributions from profit sharing.
The annual bonus earnings for these professionals can amount to up to $1,011 a year, and earnings from profit sharing can go up to $4,596 a year according to the salary information reported by Payscale.
Based on the salary data provided by Salary.com, certified respiratory therapists earn an average annual salary of $55,729, with 10% of therapists earning $65,918 a year or more, and the 10% on the lower end of the pay scale reporting earning a yearly income of up to $45,918.
The median salary for registered respiratory therapists is $59,771 a year. The best paid 10% earn $69,532 annually or more and the 10% with the lowest income report an annual pay of up to $51,087 according to Salary.com.
Respiratory care practitioners who have the professional certification of Registered Respiratory Therapist generally report salaries in the range from $37,055 to $72,062 a year, while professionals with the qualification fo Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician (CRTT) typically earn an income in the range between $35,845 and $73,841 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Average salary
The average salary for respiratory therapists working in the United States is $49,633 a year according to the salary data reported by Jobstat. Jobstat reports that the highest annual salary recorded for respiratory therapists is $71,479 and the lowest, $35873.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a mean annual salary of $57,200 and a median yearly pay of $55,870 for this profession. The 10% of the best paid respiratory therapists earn $75,430 a year or more, and the 10% on the lower end of the pay scale are paid up to $40,980 annually. 25% of respiratory therapists earn an annual income of up to $47,520, and 75% earn salaries of up to $66,350 a year according to the BLS.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joan E. Kretschmer
Respiratory therapists employed at outpatient care centers earn $67,720 a year on average, those working in the management of companies and enterprises make $65,930 annually on average, and professionals working in employment services are paid around $64,390 a year. Respiratory therapists employed in home health care services earn a median annual salary of $59,730 according to the salary data provided by the BLS.
Respiratory therapists working at general medical and surgical hospitals earn around $56,760 a year, those employed at specialty hospitals (not including psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals) earn $59,150 a year on average, and professionals working in nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) are paid $59.570 a year on average. Respiratory therapists employed at offices of physicians make $57,830 annually, and those working in the consumer goods rental sector earn a median annual pay of $50,190 according to the BLS.
Starting salary
The average starting salary for respiratory therapists in their first year on the job is typically in the range from $32,500 to $57,325 a year according to the salary data reported by Payscale. The hourly pay for respiratory therapists with less than a year of experience is generally in the range between $14.94 and $25.79 according to Payscale’s data.
Salary by state
Respiratory therapists’ annual earnings can vary considerably from state to state. Therapists based in California typically report earning an annual income in the range from $38,000 to $86,656, those working in Texas are generally paid between $29,421 and $60,820 annually, and professionals employed in Florida are paid between $31,996 and $60,756 a year.
Respiratory therapists working in Georgia typically make between $27,148 and $61,825 a year, and those based in Wisconsin are usually paid an income in the range from $39,453 to $72,719 a year.
Professionals employed in Pennsylvania generally earn an annual pay in the range from $42,500 to $52,261, and therapists based in Tennessee typically make between $36,000 and $57,000 a year according to the salary data reported by Payscale.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the states with the highest salaries for this occupation are California, where respiratory therapists earn an average annual salary of $73,320, followed by Nevada, where the median yearly salary is $69,540, and Connecticut, where therapists make $67,890 a year on average. Respiratory therapists employed in New Jersey earn $67,670 annually on average, and those based in Alaska earn around $67,220 a year.
Respiratory therapists working in Texas earn an average yearly income of $54,190, those based in Florida are paid around $53,720 a year, and professionals working in Ohio earn around $52,150 annually. Therapists employed in New York make $64,380 a year on average, those working in Mississippi are paid around $48,260 a year, and professionals working in Kentucky earn an average salary of $45,460 a year according to the BLS data.
Respiratory therapists based in Indiana are paid $51,340 a year on average, and professionals working in Alabama earn an average yearly salary of $45,770 according to the BLS.
The salary statistics provided by Recruiter.com reveal that the top paying states for respiratory therapists are California, where these professionals earn a median annual salary of $65,580, followed by New Jersey, where the average salary for this occupation is $65,540, and Maryland, where respiratory therapists are paid $65,430 a year on average. Therapists based in Nevada earn around $65,360 annually, those working in Massachusetts are paid around $62,600 a year, professionals employed in New York make $62,460 a year on average, and therapists based in Connecticut are paid an average annual income of $62,140.
The states with the lowest average income for this profession are North Dakota, with a median annual salary of $43,800, followed by West Virginia ($44,450 a year), Kentucky ($44,580), Iowa ($45,450), Alabama ($45.480), and Tennessee ($46,270).
Salary by city
Respiratory therapists’ annual salaries also vary from city to city. For example, professionals based in Boston typically make between $59,496 and $77,419 a year, and those working in Los Angeles are generally paid between $47,500 and $68,000 a year.
Therapists based in Atlanta earn salaries in the range from $39,167 to $58,958 annually, and those employed in Phoenix make between $40,000 and $69,000 annually. Respiratory therapists working in Milwaukee are typically paid between $40,337 and $58,802 a year, and those employed in Chicago earn an annual income in the range from $41,794 to $51,997.
Salary range
Respiratory therapists typically earn between $40,000 and $60,000 a year based on the salary data reported by Recruiter.com.
Respiratory therapists’ annual salaries depend on a variety of factors, including work experience. Therapists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally report earning an annual pay in the range from $28,043 to $60,204, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience typically make between $38,972 and $62,158 annually. Respiratory therapists with 10 to 19 years of work experience under their belt are usually paid between $32,970 and $76,189 a year, and professionals with 20 or more years of work experience in the field generally report earning an annual income in the range from $44,674 to $77,022 according to the salary figures provided by Payscale.
Women typically earn salaries in the range from $31,862 to $66,166 a year, while men are generally paid between $36,339 and $77,199 a year.
Respiratory therapist’ yearly pay also depends on industry, and tends to vary from sector to sector. Therapists working in home health care generally earn between $31,562 and $76,864 a year, and those employed at acute care hospitals make between $35,234 and $71,642 a year. Professionals working at hospitals report earning an annual pay in the range from $30,380 to $67,668, and those employed in the health care sector are generally paid between $34,348 and $68,344 a year based on Payscale’s salary data.
Hourly wage
The average hourly wage for respiratory therapists employed in the United States is $24.68 according to the salary figures reported by Jobstat. The highest hourly pay recorded for this occupation is $35.54 and the lowest, $17.84 per hour.
Payscale reports an average hourly rate in the range from $17.84 to $32.44 for this profession, with overtime rates ranging from $20.38 to $49.03 per hour.
Respiratory therapists’ hourly pay varies depending on work experience among other factors. Therapists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally make between $16.69 and $29.14 per hour, and those with 5 to 9 years of work experience are usually paid between $19.26 and $31.15 per hour. Professionals with 10 to 19 years of work experience under their belt report earning an hourly salary in the range from $19.98 to $33.64, and respiratory therapists with 20 or more years of work experience typically earn an hourly wage in the range between $22.58 and $35.70 according to Payscale’s salary data.
The hourly rate for these professionals also varies depending on area of specialty. Respiratory therapists who specialize in critical care typically earn an hourly salary in the range from $18.50 to $32.21, those working in emergency rooms are generally paid between $18.31 and $32.23, and professionals specializing in ICU make between $18.24 and $32.20 per hour.
Therapists specializing in acute care are generally paid an hourly wage in the range from $18.33 to $31.42, and those specializing in neonatal intensive care earn between $18.45 and $34.95 per hour. Respiratory therapists specializing in emergency and trauma earn between $18.38 and $31.28 per hour, and professionals whose expertise lies in patient education are typically paid between $17.15 and $32.37 per hour according to Payscale’s data.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a mean hourly salary of $27.50 and a median hourly wage of $26.86 for this profession. 10% of respiratory therapists earn $36.26 per hour or more, and the 10% on the lower end of the scale are paid up to $19.70 per hour. 25% of therapists report an hourly rate of up to $22.85, and 75% earn up to $31.90 per hour according to the BLS.
The hourly rate for respiratory therapists can vary significantly from industry to industry. Therapists employed at general medical and surgical hospitals typically earn around $27.29 per hour, those working at specialty hospitals (excluding psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals) are paid around $28.44 per hour, and professionals employed at nursing care facilities make $28.64 per hour on average.
Respiratory therapists working at offices of physicians are typically paid around $27.80 per hour, those working in employment services earn $30.96 per hour on average, and professionals working in the consumer goods rental sector earn a median hourly wage of $24.13. Therapists employed at outpatient care centers earn around $32.56 per hour, and those working in home health care services are paid $28.71 per hour on average. Professionals working in the management of companies and enterprises earn around $31.70 per hour, and those employed by universities, colleges, and professional schools earn an average hourly wage of 32.75 according to the BLS salary figures.
The hourly salary can also vary from state to state. Therapists based in California earn around $35.25 per hour, those working in Texas are paid $26.05 per hour on average, and professionals based in Florida make $25.83 per hour on average. Respiratory therapists employed in New York earn around $30.95 per hour, those working in Ohio are paid around $25.07 per hour, and professionals based in Indiana earn $24.68 per hour on average. Therapists working in Kentucky earn 21.85 per hour on average, those employed in Mississippi are paid around $23.20 per hour, and professionals working in Tennessee earn an average hourly wage of $22.90.
Respiratory therapists based in Nevada make $33.43 per hour, those employed in Alabama are paid around $22 per hour, and professionls working in Alaska earn $32.32 per hour on average. Therapists employed in New Jersey earn an average hourly pay of $32.53, and those working in Connecticut are paid $32.64 per hour on average based on the salary data provided by the BLS.
Benefits
Respiratory therapists typically get a variety of benefits and perks along with their basic annual pay and yearly bonus earnings, and their benefits packages can sometimes reflect their annual income.
Respiratory therapists who have 401(k) plans generally report earning salaries in the range from $29,450 to $69,142 a year, those who have paid sick leave typically earn between $36,173 and $76,929 annually, and professionals who get paid vacations and holidays are generally paid between $37,705 and $74,225 a year.
Therapists who have life and disability insurance as part of their benefits package are usually paid between $37,860 and $71,615 a year, and those who have 403(b) plans earn salaries in the range from $39,149 to $88,500 a year. Professionals who get cell phones typically make between $22,669 and $79,506 annually, and those who get reimbursement for professional education, training, tuition, or certification report earning an annual income in the range from $36,691 to $77,354 according to the salary information provided by Payscale.
Other income factors
Respiratory therapists’ annual salaries can also vary depending on additional professional certifications. Therapists with a certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CTR) generally report earning salaries in the range from $36,614 to $70,027 a year, those with a certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) generally make between $36,217 and $75,486 annually, and professionals with a certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) are usually paid an income in the range from $35,450 to $73,054 a year.
Respiratory therapists with a qualification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) generally earn between $35,024 and $80,537 annually, those with a certification in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) make between $37,449 and $96,119 a year, and professionals with the Asthma Educator Certificate (AE-C) usually report earning an annual income in the range from $41,712 to $73,698 according to the salary information reported by Payscale.
Respiratory therapists’ salaries can also vary depending on area of specialty. Therapists specializing in critical care generally earn an income in the range from $37,194 to $73,662 a year, those specializing in acute care are typically paid between $36,763 and $72,722 annually, and professionals specializing in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) make between $37,004 and $74,880 a year.
Respiratory therapists working in emergency rooms (ER) typically report earning salaries in the range from $31,172 to $67,631 a year, those specializing in home health or home care are usually paid between $34,963 and $73,856 a year, and professionals specializing in emergency and trauma make between $31,094 and $81,276 a year.
Therapists specializing in patient education are paid between $30,000 and $79,480 a year, and those working in TICU (Trauma Intensive Care Unit) generally earn an annual income in the range from $37,095 to $69,381. Respiratory therapists specializing in pediatrics are typically paid between $30,639 and $72,170 annually, and those specializing in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) generally report earning salaries in the range from $36,647 to $71,533 a year according to Payscale.
Employer type is another factor that can affect a respiratory therapist’s annual salary. Therapists employed by hospitals generally make between $30,696 and $67,769 a year, and those working for the federal government are typically paid between $50,980 and $72,000 annually. Professionals employed by companies usually earn salaries in the range from $27,404 to $72,243 a year, and those employed by private practices or firms earn between $36,625 and $66,819 a year according to the salary figures reported by Payscale.
Respiratory therapists’ yearly income can also vary depending on academic degree. Therapists with an associate’s degree generally earn between $31,027 and $72,021 a year, those with a bachelor’s degree are typically paid between $38,636 and $73,974 annually, and professionals with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Respiratory Therapy usually report earning an annual pay in the range from $25,253 to $68,930.
Respiratory therapists with a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy are typically paid between $39,866 and $67,871 annually, those with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Respiratory Care earn between $25,342 and $80,879 a year, and professionals with an Associate of Science (AS) in Respiratory Therapy are paid between $36,492 and $75,268 a year. Therapists with a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care typically make between $39,305 and $68,166 annually, and those with an associate’s degree in Respiratory Therapy report annual earnings in the range from $36,500 to $47,500 based on Payscale’s salary data.