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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

29-1126 Respiratory Therapists

Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
126,770 1.4 % $29.15 $60,640 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $20.43 $23.72 $28.21 $33.97 $39.21
Annual Wage (2) $42,490 $49,340 $58,670 $70,650 $81,550

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 95,180 1.76 $29.14 $60,610
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 7,670 3.00 $29.57 $61,510
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 7,060 0.43 $29.55 $61,460
Offices of Physicians 3,120 0.12 $29.12 $60,580
Consumer Goods Rental 2,300 1.42 $25.55 $53,140

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 7,670 3.00 $29.57 $61,510
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 95,180 1.76 $29.14 $60,610
Consumer Goods Rental 2,300 1.42 $25.55 $53,140
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 7,060 0.43 $29.55 $61,460
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 1,560 0.19 $29.17 $60,680

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 1,210 0.15 $35.41 $73,650
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 550 0.02 $34.15 $71,030
Local Government (OES Designation) 130 (7) $32.15 $66,880
Employment Services 1,230 0.03 $31.64 $65,800
Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers (8) (8) $29.98 $62,360

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 16,560 1.04 1.15 $37.90 $78,820
Texas 11,700 1.00 1.10 $27.92 $58,070
Florida 8,590 1.04 1.16 $27.02 $56,200
Ohio 6,490 1.22 1.35 $26.04 $54,150
New York 5,840 0.64 0.71 $34.18 $71,100




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Mississippi 1,540 1.37 1.52 $23.26 $48,390
Kentucky 2,510 1.34 1.49 $23.33 $48,530
Tennessee 3,810 1.32 1.46 $23.82 $49,540
Indiana 3,890 1.30 1.44 $26.09 $54,270
West Virginia 860 1.24 1.37 $23.81 $49,530




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 16,560 1.04 1.15 $37.90 $78,820
Nevada 960 0.75 0.83 $34.92 $72,630
New Jersey 3,020 0.76 0.85 $34.59 $71,940
Alaska 160 0.50 0.56 $34.53 $71,820
New York 5,840 0.64 0.71 $34.18 $71,100





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 5,250 1.24 1.38 $35.38 $73,590
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 4,100 0.62 0.69 $36.32 $75,540
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 3,370 0.93 1.03 $27.08 $56,330
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,600 0.89 0.98 $28.86 $60,030
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 2,160 0.89 0.99 $28.96 $60,230
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,850 0.72 0.80 $27.51 $57,220
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 1,730 1.70 1.89 $25.79 $53,650
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 1,630 0.84 0.93 $27.22 $56,620
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,620 1.17 1.29 $36.92 $76,790
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 1,560 1.00 1.10 $36.91 $76,780