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Certified Respiratory Therapist Salary in the United States

How much does a Certified Respiratory Therapist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Certified Respiratory Therapist in the United States is $73,890 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

However, a Certified Respiratory Therapist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $85,744
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $66,006 to $80,095
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,828
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Certified Respiratory Therapist Salaries

A Certified Respiratory Therapist'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Certified Respiratory Therapist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Certified Respiratory Therapist'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $71,301
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $71,537
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $74,353
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $76,946
  • Expert (over 8 years): $77,131
Levels Salary
Entry Level Certified Respiratory Therapist$71,301
Intermediate Level Certified Respiratory Therapist$71,537
Senior Level Certified Respiratory Therapist$74,353
Specialist Level Certified Respiratory Therapist$76,946
Expert Level Certified Respiratory Therapist$77,131
View as Graph

How Do Certified Respiratory Therapists Salaries Vary from State to State?

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 Certified Respiratory Therapists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $81,811.
  • California: $81,501.
  • Massachusetts: $80,414.

Top Paying Cities for Certified Respiratory Therapist

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:

  • San Jose: $93,197
  • San Francisco: $92,177
  • Oakland: $90,234

What Skills Can Increase a Certified Respiratory Therapist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Communicates Effectively (Mentioned in 1.82% Job Postings): Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and data so that the message is received and understood with clarity and purpose.
  • Critical Care (Mentioned in 2.57% Job Postings): Critical care is sometimes referred as intensive care. Intensive care medicine, or critical care medicine, is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and management of life-threatening conditions that may require sophisticated life support and intensive monitoring. An intensivist is a physician who specializes in the care of critically ill patients, most often in the intensive care unit (ICU). Intensivists can be internists or internal medicine sub-specialists (most often pulmonologists), anesthesiologists, emergency medicine physicians, pediatricians (including neonatologists), or surgeons who have completed a fellowship in critical care medicine.
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (Mentioned in 1.37% Job Postings): It is used to provide urgent treatment to cardiac emergencies such as cardiac arrest, stroke, myocardial infarction, and other conditions.
Skills Demand Percentage
Communicates Effectively 1.82%
Critical Care 2.57%
Advanced Cardiac Life Support 1.37%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Certified Respiratory Therapist's salary.

  • Organizing: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Sense Of Urgency: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Organizing $80,540
9%
Sense Of Urgency $79,801
8%
Collaboration $79,801
8%
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Certified Respiratory Therapist Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Certified Respiratory Therapist salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $78,377. While startup companies pay approximate $66,788.

Certified Respiratory Therapist Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $66,788
Growth Stage 51~500 $70,504
Established 501~5000 $75,814
Enterprise 5000+ $78,377

Certified Respiratory Therapist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Certified Respiratory Therapist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Certified Respiratory Therapist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Certified Respiratory Therapist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Certified Respiratory Therapist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$88,668$43.020%

How Education impacts an Certified Respiratory Therapist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Certified Respiratory Therapist enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Certified Respiratory Therapist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $68,850 and $73,026.

Certified Respiratory Therapist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Certified Respiratory Therapist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 21.8%
Associates 62.9%
Bachelors 9.3%
Masters 3.6%
Doctorate 0.4%
View as Graph

Certified Respiratory Therapist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Certified Respiratory Therapist'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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$66,006
Average $73,890/year
$80,095
$5,501
Average $6,158/month
$6,675
$1,269
Average $1,421/week
$1,540
$32
Average $36/hour
$39
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $80,095 $6,675 $1,540 $39
Average $73,890 $6,158 $1,421 $36
25th Percentile $66,006 $5,501 $1,269 $32

Certified Respiratory Therapist Salary Growth & Career Path

Certified Respiratory Therapist

Next Role

Advancement

For a Certified Respiratory Therapist, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Respiratory Therapy Supervisor role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $95,132 - a projected growth of 29% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Certified Respiratory Therapist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Certified Respiratory Therapist

Here are companies hiring for Certified Respiratory Therapist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Certified Respiratory Therapist

1. Where can a Certified Respiratory Therapist earn the most?

A Certified Respiratory Therapist's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Certified Respiratory Therapist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Certified Respiratory Therapist is $93,197.

2. What is the highest pay for Certified Respiratory Therapist?

The highest pay for Certified Respiratory Therapist is $85,744.

3. What is the lowest pay for Certified Respiratory Therapist?

The lowest pay for Certified Respiratory Therapist is $58,828.

4. What are the responsibilities of Certified Respiratory Therapist?

Specializes in treating patients with breathing difficulties and pulmonary disorders. Collaborates with physicians to implement prescribed treatment plans. Conducts lung function tests, and analyzes blood and sputum samples to evaluate oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Operates and maintains ventilators, CPAP machines, and other devices for patients requiring respiratory support. Requires an associate degree. Requires Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) certification. Requires State License to practice. Typically reports to a supervisor. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Certified Respiratory Therapist?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Certified Respiratory Therapist roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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.

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