Respiratory Therapist Salary
Healthful Vitality | 12/01/2021 | Respiratory Therapist Salary
Who is a respiratory therapist? What is an average salary of a Respiratory Therapist and how much a Respiratory Therapist makes? What are the best paying states for a Respiratory Therapist?
If you are searching for the details regarding any of these questions, you are going to find your answers in this article.
Who is a Respiratory Therapist?
A Respiratory Therapist is a health care professional who delivers therapeutic treatments and conducts diagnostic procedures, among multiple other high-skill tasks. Moreover, Respiratory Therapists are responsible for taking care of patients receiving mechanical life support (mechanical ventilation), so there should be no surprise that a Respiratory Therapist should earn a handsome salary. But how much does a respiratory therapist exactly earn?
How Much Do Respiratory Therapists Make?
According to a report of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average median salary of a Registered Respiratory Therapist in the U.S. is almost $62,810 in the year 2021, with the range between $54,000 and $75,000. Notably, there are multiple different factors to consider that determine the average annual salary of a Respiratory Therapist.
Factors Affecting the Salary of Respiratory Therapists
The earning capacity of a Respiratory Therapist mainly depends on location, experience, qualification, and type of employer. So, if someone is looking to get highly paid as a respiratory therapist, he/she must undergo the essential clinical training to receive the relevant qualifications.
Does Location Influence the Salary of a Respiratory Therapist?
Respiratory Therapists get a higher salary in some states in the U.S. as compared to other states. For instance, a Respiratory Therapist in Texas, Florida, and California usually earns, on average, much more salaries compared to other states.
There are also some states that offer significantly less salaries than the average as well. Indeed, such states are Kentucky, West Virginia, Alabama, North Dakota, and Mississippi. In this case, we will discuss the highest paying states for respiratory therapists in more detail, so keep reading.
Highest Paying States for Respiratory Therapists
Besides the other factors, location is perhaps the greatest variable that influences the wages and salary of a Respiratory Therapist. Sure, other factors (e.g. experience and education) also come into play as well. However, on a large scale, the location in which respiratory therapy works and residues makes all the difference.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), below is the list of the highest paying states in the United States to work as a Respiratory Therapist:
| Highest Paying States | Average Annual Salary |
| California | $85,620 |
| New York | $80,400 |
| Hawaii | $77,310 |
| Nevada | $75,670 |
| Massachusetts | $75,650 |
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), California pays the highest average salary for Respiratory Therapists following New York, Hawaii, Nevada, and Massachusetts.
On the other hand, the state of Kentucky pays the lowest salary for Respiratory Therapists with West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, and South Dakota as well.
Career Opportunities and Outlook for Respiratory Therapists
The healthcare sector has grown tremendously over the past few years. Notably, all signs indicate the continuance of this growth for future years to come. Indeed, as the whole industry continues to grow, naturally, the need for Respiratory Therapists and respiratory care also grows along with it.
In fact, according to a report of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of respiratory therapy is expanding at a much faster rate than the average career.
Final Thoughts
Respiratory Therapy is a rapidly expanding field that provides practitioners an opportunity to care for their patients. In fact, one can earn a handsome salary as a respiratory therapist is just icing on the cake. As we discussed throughout this article, the salary and wages of a Respiratory Therapist greatly vary depending on the state in which one lives. This is definitely the major factor to be considered before entering the field of respiratory therapy.
(Related: Reflections on Being a Respiratory Therapist and How Much Do Nutritionists Make?)