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Job outlook for respiratory therapists in the United States
Respiratory therapist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected respiratory therapist job growth rate is 14% from 2018-2028.
About 18,400 new jobs for respiratory therapists are projected over the next decade.
Respiratory therapist salaries have increased 7% for respiratory therapists in the last 5 years.
There are over 132,935 respiratory therapists currently employed in the United States.
There are 33,980 active respiratory therapist job openings in the US.
The average respiratory therapist salary is $55,617.
Are respiratory therapist jobs in demand?
Respiratory Therapist job and salary trends over time
Respiratory Therapist jobs over time
Respiratory Therapist job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 132,935 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 131,335 | 0.04% |
| 2019 | 131,531 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 128,382 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 127,142 | 0.04% |
Average respiratory therapist salary over time
Respiratory Therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,617 | $26.74 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $54,306 | $26.11 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $53,377 | $25.66 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $52,872 | $25.42 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $51,951 | $24.98 | +1.5% |
Respiratory Therapist jobs by state
Most common states for respiratory therapists
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 189 | 25% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 382 | 20% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 184 | 18% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 159 | 17% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 119 | 17% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,095 | 16% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 511 | 16% |
| 8 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 474 | 16% |
| 9 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 917 | 15% |
| 10 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 195 | 15% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,465 | 14% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,145 | 14% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,057 | 14% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 823 | 14% |
| 15 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 796 | 14% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,654 | 13% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,125 | 12% |
| 18 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 815 | 12% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 507 | 12% |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 456 | 12% |
Most common cities for respiratory therapists
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Littleton | 15 | 32% | $55,742 |
| 2 | Greeley | 29 | 28% | $55,735 |
| 3 | Broomfield | 16 | 24% | $55,754 |
| 4 | Arvada | 22 | 19% | $55,757 |
| 5 | Longmont | 17 | 18% | $55,771 |
| 6 | Aurora | 61 | 17% | $55,701 |
| 7 | Ann Arbor | 20 | 17% | $54,204 |
| 8 | Fort Collins | 18 | 11% | $55,799 |
| 9 | Grand Rapids | 20 | 10% | $54,332 |
| 10 | Fort Lauderdale | 18 | 10% | $54,143 |
| 11 | Lakewood | 16 | 10% | $55,754 |
| 12 | Irving | 19 | 8% | $53,874 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 41 | 7% | $61,024 |
| 14 | Cleveland | 18 | 5% | $50,972 |
| 15 | Tampa | 18 | 5% | $54,524 |
| 16 | Detroit | 30 | 4% | $53,952 |
| 17 | Denver | 23 | 3% | $55,718 |
| 18 | Atlanta | 15 | 3% | $54,254 |
| 19 | Chicago | 17 | 1% | $55,740 |
Respiratory Therapist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of respiratory therapist experts
Spokane Community College
American Association for Respiratory Care
What's a good job out of college for Respiratory Therapists?
Elizabeth Curtin: There are many healthcare-related jobs, as nursing isn't the only one where we are seeing a shortage. There is a need for pharmacy techs, respiratory therapists, lab techs, phlebotomists, the list goes on. Also construction always needs skilled workers. My son has worked continually with a company that does fireproofing and construction and hasn't missed a paycheck since the pandemic started.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Respiratory Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Karen Schell: I believe there will be a shortage of health care workers. There will be those who reach burn out early, due to the strain of caring for critical patients, being asked to do more, and finding enough equipment to meet their needs, and will leave the field earlier than normal.
The need for well educated, qualified, skilled health care providers. Respiratory Therapists are already in great need among the health care community. With the pandemic, our therapists are being called to the front line and their expertise is needed. We see the complex care required for the care of these patients is difficult to deal with physically and emotionally on our therapists. I see burnout, stress, and emotional safety taking a toll on those being called to serve.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Respiratory Therapists in the next 3-5 years?
Karen Schell: First of all, availability of complex equipment to deal with the influx of the more critical diseases. Learning what is needed for the care is ongoing. Technology will have to keep up so that patients are treated with quality, well tested, effective equipment that is efficient and cost effective.