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Respiratory Therapist Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Respiratory Therapist make? The median Respiratory Therapist salary in the US is about $85,909 per year (roughly $41.00 an hour), across 139,770 jobs (Respiratory Therapists). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $63,270 in Mississippi to $111,950 in District of Columbia. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Respiratory Therapist salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| District of Columbia | $111,950 | 430 |
| New York | $107,810 | 7,010 |
| California | $104,820 | 18,650 |
| Massachusetts | $102,170 | 2,220 |
| Washington | $101,130 | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $100,810 | 3,350 |
| Oregon | $100,560 | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $98,710 | 1,250 |
| Alaska | $97,950 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $95,940 | 360 |
| Hawaii | $94,210 | 510 |
| Delaware | $91,080 | 500 |
| Maryland | $88,960 | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $86,900 | 260 |
| Colorado | $86,220 | 2,110 |
| Nevada | $85,480 | 1,270 |
| Connecticut | $85,230 | 1,370 |
| Wisconsin | $84,210 | 1,940 |
| Illinois | $84,090 | 4,880 |
| Vermont | $83,820 | 210 |
| Georgia | $83,700 | 5,150 |
| Virginia | $82,910 | 3,340 |
| Maine | $82,470 | 520 |
| Nebraska | $81,590 | 840 |
| North Dakota | $81,230 | 270 |
| Montana | $81,190 | 390 |
| Florida | $81,160 | 8,820 |
| Utah | $80,650 | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $80,090 | 4,630 |
| Ohio | $79,920 | 6,640 |
| Michigan | $79,850 | 4,520 |
| Arizona | $79,780 | 3,500 |
| Indiana | $79,730 | 3,170 |
| Texas | $79,540 | 12,130 |
| Wyoming | $79,330 | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $78,800 | 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,490 | 6,530 |
| Idaho | $78,460 | 820 |
| Missouri | $78,390 | 3,030 |
| South Carolina | $77,740 | 1,960 |
| Kansas | $76,970 | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $75,240 | 2,520 |
| Iowa | $74,760 | 910 |
| Arkansas | $73,870 | 1,400 |
| Kentucky | $72,750 | 2,530 |
| Tennessee | $72,140 | 3,440 |
| New Mexico | $68,870 | 840 |
| West Virginia | $68,670 | 1,140 |
| South Dakota | $68,240 | 430 |
| Alabama | $66,150 | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $63,270 | 1,670 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Respiratory Therapist make?
- A Respiratory Therapist makes a median of about $85,909 per year in the US (roughly $41.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $63,270 in Mississippi to $111,950 in District of Columbia depending on the state.
- What is the average Respiratory Therapist salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Respiratory Therapist salary in the US is about $85,909 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 139,770 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Respiratory Therapists the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median Respiratory Therapist salary at $111,950 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Respiratory Therapists the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $63,270 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Respiratory Therapists, code 29-1126). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.