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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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 Respiratory Therapists
Industry profile for Respiratory Therapists
Geographic profile for Respiratory Therapists

National estimates for Respiratory Therapists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Respiratory Therapists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
131,890 1.0 % $ 31.56 $ 65,640 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Respiratory Therapists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 22.09 $ 26.05 $ 30.20 $ 36.52 $ 42.87
Annual Wage (2) $ 45,940 $ 54,170 $ 62,810 $ 75,950 $ 89,170


Industry profile for Respiratory Therapists:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Respiratory Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 101,820 1.82 $ 31.59 $ 65,710
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 6,780 2.54 $ 31.78 $ 66,110
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 5,520 0.36 $ 30.90 $ 64,270
Offices of Physicians 2,750 0.11 $ 29.90 $ 62,190
Outpatient Care Centers 2,240 0.23 $ 42.27 $ 87,920

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Respiratory Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 6,780 2.54 $ 31.78 $ 66,110
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 101,820 1.82 $ 31.59 $ 65,710
Rental and leasing services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 2,140 0.69 $ 27.09 $ 56,340
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 5,520 0.36 $ 30.90 $ 64,270
Outpatient Care Centers 2,240 0.23 $ 42.27 $ 87,920

Top paying industries for Respiratory Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 2,240 0.23 $ 42.27 $ 87,920
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 840 0.03 $ 34.22 $ 71,180
Other Residential Care Facilities 80 0.05 $ 32.03 $ 66,620
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 6,780 2.54 $ 31.78 $ 66,110
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 101,820 1.82 $ 31.59 $ 65,710


Geographic profile for Respiratory Therapists:

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





States with the highest employment level in Respiratory Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 15,960 0.97 1.02 $ 41.92 $ 87,190
Texas 11,680 0.96 1.02 $ 29.56 $ 61,490
Florida 8,370 0.99 1.05 $ 28.92 $ 60,150
Ohio 6,420 1.25 1.32 $ 28.77 $ 59,840
New York 6,040 0.69 0.73 $ 38.39 $ 79,840




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Respiratory Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Virginia 1,070 1.64 1.73 $ 25.19 $ 52,400
Louisiana 2,500 1.39 1.46 $ 26.79 $ 55,720
Mississippi 1,460 1.36 1.43 $ 24.75 $ 51,480
Indiana 3,790 1.30 1.37 $ 28.71 $ 59,720
Ohio 6,420 1.25 1.32 $ 28.77 $ 59,840




Top paying states for Respiratory Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 15,960 0.97 1.02 $ 41.92 $ 87,190
District of Columbia 280 0.41 0.43 $ 39.88 $ 82,940
New York 6,040 0.69 0.73 $ 38.39 $ 79,840
Hawaii 330 0.57 0.60 $ 37.47 $ 77,930
Nevada 1,510 1.21 1.27 $ 37.20 $ 77,380





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Respiratory Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 7,070 0.80 0.84 $ 39.02 $ 81,170
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,150 1.06 1.11 $ 40.24 $ 83,710
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,220 1.09 1.14 $ 30.02 $ 62,450
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,110 0.87 0.91 $ 31.43 $ 65,370
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 3,100 1.15 1.21 $ 30.68 $ 63,810
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 3,090 0.71 0.75 $ 30.29 $ 63,010
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 2,360 1.12 1.18 $ 29.54 $ 61,440
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,300 0.92 0.97 $ 29.08 $ 60,480
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,210 0.84 0.89 $ 28.60 $ 59,480
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,820 1.02 1.08 $ 29.02 $ 60,360




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Respiratory Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Victoria, TX 160 4.40 4.64 $ 30.45 $ 63,330
Rome, GA 110 3.04 3.21 $ 29.22 $ 60,780
Redding, CA 170 2.66 2.80 $ 43.83 $ 91,160
Saginaw, MI 190 2.51 2.65 $ 28.55 $ 59,380
Prescott, AZ 150 2.36 2.48 $ 28.55 $ 59,390
Charleston, WV 230 2.23 2.35 $ 23.86 $ 49,640
Carbondale-Marion, IL 110 2.12 2.23 $ 28.22 $ 58,690
Winston-Salem, NC 500 1.95 2.05 $ 28.52 $ 59,330
Florence, SC 160 1.90 2.01 $ 27.95 $ 58,150
Roanoke, VA 270 1.90 2.01 $ 27.62 $ 57,450




Top paying metropolitan areas for Respiratory Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,740 0.75 0.79 $ 50.09 $ 104,200
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 760 0.69 0.73 $ 48.42 $ 100,710
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 230 1.71 1.81 $ 48.12 $ 100,080
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 990 1.02 1.07 $ 47.96 $ 99,760
Salinas, CA 110 0.65 0.69 $ 47.96 $ 99,750
Modesto, CA 190 1.06 1.12 $ 45.01 $ 93,630
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 240 0.80 0.84 $ 43.96 $ 91,440
Santa Rosa, CA 190 0.96 1.01 $ 43.90 $ 91,310
Redding, CA 170 2.66 2.80 $ 43.83 $ 91,160
Kingston, NY 50 0.95 1.00 $ 42.05 $ 87,460

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Respiratory Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 340 1.07 1.13 $ 26.22 $ 54,530
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 330 1.48 1.56 $ 24.02 $ 49,950
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 330 0.88 0.92 $ 26.26 $ 54,620
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 270 1.46 1.54 $ 24.98 $ 51,950
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 260 1.74 1.83 $ 28.42 $ 59,110

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Respiratory Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area 260 1.74 1.83 $ 28.42 $ 59,110
Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 120 1.55 1.63 $ 25.78 $ 53,630
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 100 1.50 1.58 $ 24.54 $ 51,050
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 330 1.48 1.56 $ 24.02 $ 49,950
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 140 1.47 1.55 $ 20.31 $ 42,250

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Respiratory Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 100 1.07 1.12 $ 41.08 $ 85,450
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 40 0.40 0.43 $ 40.93 $ 85,140
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 100 0.99 1.04 $ 40.74 $ 84,740
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 70 1.27 1.34 $ 38.47 $ 80,010
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 80 0.61 0.64 $ 35.88 $ 74,630


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021