Registered Respiratory Therapist Salary in the United States

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

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Registered Respiratory Therapist in the United States is $73,887 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $85,755
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $66,008 to $80,099
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,835
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View as table View as graph 25% $66,008 10% $58,835 90% $85,755 75% $80,099 $73,887 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Registered Respiratory Therapist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $80,099 $6,675 $1,540 $39
Average $73,887 $6,157 $1,421 $36
25th Percentile $66,008 $5,501 $1,269 $32
Check out Registered Respiratory Therapist Job Openings in the United States
Respiratory Therapist PRN

Select Specialty Hospital - Akron - Akron, OH

Respiratory Therapist PRN

Select Specialty Hospital - Northeast Ohio (Canton) - Canton, OH

Respiratory Therapist PRN

Select Specialty Hospital - Akron - Akron, OH

Radiation Therapist Registered

OhioHealth - Mansfield, OH

Search More Registered Respiratory Therapist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Registered Respiratory Therapist Salaries

A Registered 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 Registered Respiratory Therapist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Registered 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): $70,712
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $71,300
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $74,072
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $76,668
  • Expert (over 8 years): $77,132
Levels Salary
Entry Level Registered Respiratory Therapist$70,712
Intermediate Level Registered Respiratory Therapist$71,300
Senior Level Registered Respiratory Therapist$74,072
Specialist Level Registered Respiratory Therapist$76,668
Expert Level Registered Respiratory Therapist$77,132
$70,712 0 yr
$71,300 < 2 yrs
$74,072 2-4 yrs
$76,668 5-8 yrs
$77,132 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Registered Respiratory Therapists

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: $93,194
  • San Francisco: $92,173
  • Oakland: $90,231

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Critical Care (Mentioned in 2.67% 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.
  • Patient Safety (Mentioned in 1.33% Job Postings): Patient safety is a discipline and responsibility that emphasizes safety in health care through the prevention, reduction, reporting, and analysis of medical error that often leads to adverse effects. The frequency and magnitude of avoidable adverse events experienced by patients was not well known until the 1990s, when multiple countries reported staggering numbers of patients harmed and killed by medical errors. Recognizing that healthcare errors impact 1 in every 10 patients around the world, the World Health Organization calls patient safety an endemic concern. Indeed, patient safety has emerged as a distinct healthcare discipline supported by an immature yet developing scientific framework. There is a significant transdisciplinary body of theoretical and research literature that informs the science of patient safety. At the same time, efforts are being made to anchor patient safety more firmly in medical education. The resulting patient safety knowledge continually informs improvement efforts such as: applying lessons learned from business and industry, adopting innovative technologies, educating providers and consumers, enhancing error reporting systems, and developing new economic incentives.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.06%
Critical Care 2.67%
Patient Safety 1.33%
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 Registered Respiratory Therapist's salary.
  • Quality Control: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Time Management: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Quality Control
$76,104
3%
Coordination
$76,104
3%
Time Management
$76,104
3%
Clinical Knowledge
$76,104
3%
Interviewing
$76,104
3%
Life Support
$75,365
2%
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How Education impacts a Registered Respiratory Therapist's Salary?

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

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Registered Respiratory Therapist with a Associate's Degree is between $73,746 and $77,645).

Registered Respiratory Therapist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Registered Respiratory Therapist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 4.3%
High School 4.3%
Associates 64.0%
Bachelors 29.0%
Masters 2.4%
Doctorate 0.4%
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Registered Respiratory Therapist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Registered 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 May 01, 2026

Registered Respiratory Therapist Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Registered 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 $95,086 - a projected growth of 29% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Registered Respiratory Therapist

Salaries for a Registered Respiratory Therapist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $67,397 in 2023 to around $66,236 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Registered Respiratory Therapist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Registered Respiratory Therapist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$67,397
2024
$67,043
2025
$66,236
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $67,397
2024 $67,043
2025 $66,236
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Registered Respiratory Therapist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Registered Respiratory Therapist

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

Find Your Next Registered Respiratory Therapist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Registered Respiratory Therapist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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FAQ about Registered Respiratory Therapist

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

A Registered 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 Registered Respiratory Therapist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Registered Respiratory Therapist is $93,194.

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

The highest pay for Registered Respiratory Therapist is $85,755.

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

The lowest pay for Registered Respiratory Therapist is $58,835.

4. What are the responsibilities of Registered Respiratory Therapist?

Assumes primary responsibility for respiratory care treatment. Specializes in diagnosing, treating, and managing patients with pulmonary disorders. Implements and manages respiratory therapy treatment plans. Collects and analyzes sputum, blood, and breath specimens to determine levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases. May also measure the lung capacity of a patient to determine if there is impaired function. Requires an associate degree. Requires Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) 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.

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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