Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Respiratory Care Technician in the United States is $74,100 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.
However, a Respiratory Care Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
Recruit with AI
Respiratory Care Technician Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $80,400 | $6,700 | $1,546 | $39 |
| Average | $74,100 | $6,175 | $1,425 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $66,900 | $5,575 | $1,287 | $32 |
OhioHealth - Columbus, OH
Nationwide Childrens Hospital - Columbus, OH
Columbus Staffing - Columbus, OH
Innovative Renal Care - Columbus, OH
A Respiratory Care Technician's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Respiratory Care Technician's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Respiratory Care Technician | $71,736 |
| Intermediate Level Respiratory Care Technician | $72,273 |
| Senior Level Respiratory Care Technician | $73,025 |
| Specialist Level Respiratory Care Technician | $74,288 |
| Expert Level Respiratory Care Technician | $76,169 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Respiratory Care Technicians. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
Respiratory Care Technician salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $78,599. While startup companies pay approximate $66,978.
| Company Size | Employees | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | 1~50 | $66,978 |
| Growth Stage | 51~500 | $70,704 |
| Established | 501~5000 | $76,029 |
| Enterprise | 5000+ | $78,599 |
For Respiratory Care Technician roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 16% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 8% above the average. Conversely, Respiratory Care Technician positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Respiratory Care Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | $80,028 | $38.0 | 8% |
Understanding how a Respiratory Care Technician's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $80,400 | $6,700 | $1,546 | $39 |
| Average | $74,100 | $6,175 | $1,425 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $66,900 | $5,575 | $1,287 | $32 |
For a Respiratory Care Technician, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the HBO Technician role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $45,500 - a projected growth of -39% over your current level.
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation PlanningHere are companies hiring for Respiratory Care Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Respiratory Care Technician job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
NexGreen
Columbus, OH
NexGreen | Columbus, OH
Job Description. Job Description. Description. NOW HIRING LAWN CARE TECHNICIAN(S) FOR AN IMMEDIATE FULL-TIME JOB OPPORTUNITY. STARTING PAY OF $18.00 - 22.0... more
8 Days Ago
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Ohio State University | Columbus, OH
Veterinary Care Technician 3 (RVT) - Equine/Farm Animal Anesthesia, Pain Management, Critical Care. Veterinary Care Technician 3 - LA- ICU: Work involves a... more
9 Days Ago
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Ohio State University | Columbus, OH
Veterinary Care Technician 3 (RVT) - Equine/Farm Animal ICU. The Veterinary Medical Center within the College of Veterinary Medicine seeks a Veterinary Car... more
9 Days Ago
Mission Pet Health
Columbus, OH
Mission Pet Health | Columbus, OH
Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). Now Hiring: Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) Livewell Urgent Care of Worthington | Worthington, OH. Do you th... more
8 Days Ago
Fresenius Medical Care
Columbus, OH
Fresenius Medical Care | Columbus, OH
Fresenius Medical Care - 5100 West Broad Street - Responsibilities: Provides patient care under the supervision of the FMCNA RN in the acute setting. Set u... more
8 Days Ago
giftHEALTH Inc
Columbus, OH
giftHEALTH Inc | Columbus, OH
Job Description. Job Description. Description. About Us. At Gifthealth, we're revolutionizing the way people experience healthcare by simplifying the proce... more
9 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Respiratory Care Technician roles, with salaries approximately 8% above the market median.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
