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Respiratory Therapist Salary by State (May 2025 BLS Data)

By The College Match Editorial Team · Data: May 2025 · Updated October 2026

Respiratory therapists earn a median of $82,280 a year nationally, but pay depends heavily on location: from $63,270 in Mississippi to $111,950 in District of Columbia.

Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing, from premature infants to adults with lung disease. The table below covers all 50 states and Washington, DC, using the latest wage survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

U.S. median

$82,280

Highest: District of Columbia

$111,950

Lowest: Mississippi

$63,270

Employed in the U.S.

139,790

Respiratory Therapist pay in every state

Sorted by median annual wage. "Typical range" is the 10th to 90th percentile: 80% of respiratory therapists in the state earn within it.

RankStateMedianAverageTypical rangeEmployed
1 District of Columbia $111,950 $108,020 $77,240 – $127,400 430
2 New York $107,810 $110,200 $81,270 – $131,500 7,010
3 California $104,820 $109,440 $77,010 – $145,510 18,650
4 Massachusetts $102,170 $100,580 $80,330 – $123,930 2,220
5 Washington $101,130 $99,740 $76,080 – $127,520 1,860
6 New Jersey $100,810 $99,760 $78,000 – $123,370 3,350
7 Oregon $100,560 $98,160 $81,490 – $120,060 1,340
8 Minnesota $98,710 $96,890 $79,060 – $110,050 1,250
9 Alaska $97,950 $96,290 $80,250 – $114,590 180
10 New Hampshire $95,940 $93,700 $80,490 – $109,000 360
11 Hawaii $94,210 $93,380 $80,130 – $102,780 510
12 Delaware $91,080 $92,190 $79,210 – $109,890 500
13 Maryland $88,960 $90,600 $69,550 – $106,430 1,800
14 Rhode Island $86,900 $93,410 $73,240 – $122,120 260
15 Colorado $86,220 $88,300 $66,560 – $109,070 2,110
16 Nevada $85,480 $90,530 $65,150 – $118,710 1,270
17 Connecticut $85,230 $92,510 $72,410 – $121,620 1,370
18 Wisconsin $84,210 $86,230 $70,520 – $100,320 1,940
19 Illinois $84,090 $84,920 $64,480 – $100,100 4,880
20 Vermont $83,820 $84,640 $50,310 – $99,940 210
21 Georgia $83,700 $88,340 $65,050 – $112,320 5,150
22 Virginia $82,910 $87,310 $65,540 – $106,470 3,340
23 Maine $82,470 $80,400 $61,060 – $98,470 520
24 Nebraska $81,590 $80,710 $64,100 – $96,180 840
25 North Dakota $81,230 $84,710 $65,770 – $100,490 270
26 Montana $81,190 $77,850 $60,800 – $92,890 390
27 Florida $81,160 $82,400 $64,240 – $100,310 8,820
28 Utah $80,650 $80,500 $61,860 – $101,340 1,170
29 North Carolina $80,090 $81,360 $63,990 – $99,520 4,630
30 Ohio $79,920 $81,240 $65,580 – $97,030 6,640
31 Michigan $79,850 $78,550 $64,770 – $90,210 4,520
32 Arizona $79,780 $80,980 $64,780 – $99,180 3,500
33 Indiana $79,730 $78,190 $62,730 – $94,980 3,170
34 Texas $79,540 $81,010 $61,310 – $99,690 12,130
35 Wyoming $79,330 $76,980 $64,300 – $91,840 160
36 Oklahoma $78,800 $77,710 $64,380 – $95,350 2,000
37 Pennsylvania $78,490 $78,180 $62,440 – $95,520 6,530
38 Idaho $78,460 $78,370 $63,540 – $95,290 820
39 Missouri $78,390 $76,490 $60,950 – $95,730 3,030
40 South Carolina $77,740 $76,490 $63,700 – $90,670 1,960
41 Kansas $76,970 $74,860 $60,470 – $94,600 1,450
42 Louisiana $75,240 $74,690 $61,520 – $91,200 2,520
43 Iowa $74,760 $74,260 $62,860 – $86,510 910
44 Arkansas $73,870 $72,740 $59,550 – $93,480 1,400
45 Kentucky $72,750 $72,470 $58,330 – $92,540 2,530
46 Tennessee $72,140 $72,300 $57,860 – $88,060 3,440
47 New Mexico $68,870 $73,720 $61,990 – $91,220 840
48 West Virginia $68,670 $71,970 $52,940 – $94,280 1,140
49 South Dakota $68,240 $68,910 $48,530 – $88,830 430
50 Alabama $66,150 $68,480 $50,250 – $81,030 2,350
51 Mississippi $63,270 $68,120 $50,180 – $80,460 1,670
United States$82,280$87,300$63,660 – $118,050139,790

Common questions

How much do respiratory therapists make in the U.S.?

The national median annual wage for respiratory therapists was $82,280 in May 2025, with an average of $87,300. The middle 80% earned between $63,660 and $118,050.

Which state pays respiratory therapists the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $111,950 a year. Of the 51 areas (states plus DC) with published figures, 23 pay above the national median.

Which state pays respiratory therapists the least?

Mississippi has the lowest median wage at $63,270 a year. Lower pay often comes with a lower cost of living, so compare against local living costs.

Which state employs the most respiratory therapists?

California employs the most, about 18,650.

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About this data

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 29-1126. Figures are annual wages for employed respiratory therapists and exclude the self-employed. Some states' figures are not published by BLS and show as n/a. See our editorial standards for how we build these pages.