Respiratory therapists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Median Salary
$80,450
~$39/hr · ~$6,704/mo
US Jobs
140K
Much faster than average
AI & Automation Risk
4/10
Low Risk
AI & Automation Risk
Low Risk 4/10
Respiratory therapy involves a significant amount of physical, hands-on patient care, such as performing chest physiotherapy, intubating patients, and maintaining equipment in real-time clinical environments. While AI will heavily assist in diagnostic analysis, ventilator setting optimization, and patient monitoring, the core of the job requires physical presence and interpersonal interaction that cannot be digitized.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CABEST VALUE | $137,080 | Above avg (113.1) | $121,246 |
| Vallejo, CA | $132,520 | Above avg (109.4) | $121,179 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $129,180 | Above avg (109.1) | $118,415 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $129,640 | Above avg (110.3) | $117,584 |
| Redding, CA | $119,560 | Above avg (103.0) | $116,077 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $131,320 | Above avg (117.6) | $111,713 |
| Vineland, NJ | $98,020 | Below avg (93.9) | $104,371 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $100,780 | Average (98.9) | $101,896 |
| Rochester, MN | $93,820 | Below avg (93.0) | $100,927 |
| Albany, GA | $86,870 | Below avg (86.5) | $100,438 |
| Modesto, CA | $103,820 | Above avg (105.1) | $98,757 |
| Merced, CA | $98,150 | Average (99.6) | $98,526 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $96,480 | Average (98.9) | $97,568 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $98,590 | Average (102.4) | $96,290 |
| Anchorage, AK | $100,170 | Above avg (106.8) | $93,818 |
Cost of Living Index: 100 = US national average. Below 100 = cheaper. Above 100 = more expensive.
Education & Requirements
Education Required
Associate's degree
10-Year Growth
+12% (Much faster than average)
Hourly Rate
~$39/hr
Monthly Income
~$6,704/mo
Related Careers
Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OOH (2024)