Respiratory Therapist demographics and statistics in the US
Respiratory therapist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates respiratory therapist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our respiratory therapist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about respiratory therapists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 132,935 respiratory therapists currently employed in the United States.
- 62.5% of all respiratory therapists are women, while 37.5% are men.
- The average respiratory therapist age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of respiratory therapists is White (63.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.6%), Black or African American (11.0%) and Asian (6.4%).
- Respiratory therapists are most in-demand in Aurora, CO.
- The health care industry is the highest-paying for respiratory therapists.
- Lancaster, CA pays an annual average wage of $76,431, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women respiratory therapists earned 93% of what men earned.
- 9% of all respiratory therapists are LGBT.
- California is the best state for respiratory therapists to live.
- Respiratory therapists are 90% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On This Page
Respiratory Therapist demographics by:
Respiratory Therapist gender statistics
62.5% of respiratory therapists are women and 37.5% of respiratory therapists are men.
- Female, 62.5%
- Male, 37.5%
Respiratory Therapist gender ratio
Gender  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 62.5% |
| Male | 37.5% |
Respiratory Therapist gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$59,087
Female Income
$55,231
Respiratory Therapist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in respiratory therapist positions over time. Currently, 62.5% of respiratory therapists are female.
Respiratory Therapist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 37.36% | 62.64% |
| 2011 | 33.13% | 66.87% |
| 2012 | 34.45% | 65.55% |
| 2013 | 35.70% | 64.30% |
| 2014 | 35.37% | 64.63% |
| 2015 | 37.33% | 62.67% |
| 2016 | 37.64% | 62.36% |
| 2017 | 36.19% | 63.81% |
| 2018 | 33.47% | 66.53% |
| 2019 | 33.53% | 66.47% |
| 2020 | 34.43% | 65.57% |
| 2021 | 37.51% | 62.49% |
Respiratory Therapist related jobs gender ratio
We compared respiratory therapists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Respiratory Therapist | 38% | 62% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Respiratory Therapist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among respiratory therapists is White, which makes up 63.5% of all respiratory therapists. Comparatively, 14.6% of respiratory therapists are Hispanic or Latino and 11.0% of respiratory therapists are Black or African American.
- White, 63.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.6%
- Black or African American, 11.0%
- Asian, 6.4%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Respiratory Therapist Race
| Respiratory Therapist Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.6% |
| Black or African American | 11.0% |
| Asian | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Respiratory Therapist race and ethnicity over time
See how respiratory therapist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Respiratory Therapist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.20% | 11.62% | 5.68% | 11.74% |
| 2011 | 67.77% | 11.69% | 6.35% | 11.89% |
| 2012 | 67.87% | 12.53% | 5.10% | 11.32% |
| 2013 | 66.42% | 12.15% | 7.26% | 11.89% |
| 2014 | 65.54% | 11.46% | 7.52% | 13.01% |
| 2015 | 69.69% | 11.64% | 5.13% | 11.46% |
| 2016 | 67.53% | 10.96% | 7.14% | 12.63% |
| 2017 | 63.61% | 13.07% | 6.55% | 13.81% |
| 2018 | 63.23% | 12.38% | 6.82% | 14.68% |
| 2019 | 66.45% | 11.00% | 6.61% | 13.85% |
| 2020 | 68.40% | 8.80% | 4.80% | 13.72% |
| 2021 | 63.53% | 10.95% | 6.44% | 14.63% |
Respiratory Therapist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian respiratory therapists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown respiratory therapists have the lowest average salary at $57,143.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $57,143 |
| White | $57,505 |
| Black or African American | $58,151 |
| Asian | $64,881 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $58,093 |
Respiratory Therapist JOBS
Average respiratory therapist age
See how the average age of respiratory therapists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Respiratory Therapist age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 41.5 | 43 |
| White | 49 | 47 |
| Black or African American | 53.5 | 42 |
| Asian | 43 | 36 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42 | 42 |
Respiratory Therapist age breakdown
The average age of respiratory therapists is 40+ years years old, representing 69% of the respiratory therapist population.
Respiratory Therapist age breakdown
| Respiratory Therapist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 69% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 8% |
Respiratory Therapist educational attainment
The most common degree for respiratory therapists is associate degree, with 70% of respiratory therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 22% and bachelor's degree degree at 3%.
- Associate, 70%
- Bachelor's, 22%
- Master's, 3%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Respiratory Therapists by degree level
| Respiratory Therapist Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 70% |
| Bachelor's | 22% |
| Master's | 3% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Respiratory Therapist Jobs You Might Like
Respiratory Therapist wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $64,105 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $57,715 |
Respiratory Therapist employment statistics
Most respiratory therapists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where respiratory therapists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where respiratory therapists work.
Respiratory Therapist jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 47% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Respiratory Therapist jobs by company type
Employees with the respiratory therapist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most respiratory therapists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Respiratory Therapist jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 90% |
| Government | 2% |
Respiratory Therapist jobs by industry
The most common industries for respiratory therapists are health care, professional and education.
Respiratory Therapist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 86% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Respiratory Therapist turnover and employment statistics
Respiratory Therapist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for respiratory therapists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Respiratory Therapist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Respiratory Therapist Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.96% |
| 2011 | 2.04% |
| 2012 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | 2.03% |
| 2014 | 3.09% |
| 2015 | 2.39% |
| 2016 | 1.06% |
| 2017 | 1.50% |
| 2018 | 1.22% |
| 2019 | 0.96% |
| 2020 | 2.26% |
| 2021 | 1.25% |
Average respiratory therapist tenure
The average respiratory therapist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 32,611 respiratory therapists resumes in Zippia's database.
Respiratory Therapist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 15% |
Respiratory Therapist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of respiratory therapists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Respiratory Therapist | 9.50% | - |
| Pediatric Hospitalist | 9.88% | 41,075 |
| Midlevel Provider | 11.62% | 25,646 |
| Clinical Exercise Physiologist | 13.00% | 108,099 |
| Urologist, Physician | 13.05% | 38,612 |
| Optometrist/Practice Owner | 17.57% | 59,755 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Similar respiratory therapist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Hospitalist | 9.88% | 41,075 |
| Midlevel Provider | 11.62% | 25,646 |
| Clinical Exercise Physiologist | 13.00% | 108,099 |
| Urologist, Physician | 13.05% | 38,612 |
| Optometrist/Practice Owner | 17.57% | 59,755 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Foreign languages spoken by respiratory therapists
The most common foreign language among respiratory therapists is Spanish at 60.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.7% and Russian is the third-most popular at 4.7%.
- Spanish, 60.5%
- French, 7.7%
- Russian, 4.7%
- Vietnamese, 3.5%
- Tagalog, 2.7%
- Other, 20.9%
Respiratory Therapist languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.5% |
| French | 7.7% |
| Russian | 4.7% |
| Vietnamese | 3.5% |
| Tagalog | 2.7% |
| Other | 20.9% |