29
Respiratory Therapists is a notable career in the 29 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Respiratory Therapists against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 29-1126 |
| title | Respiratory Therapists |
| onet code | 29-1126.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 29 |
| tot emp | 136,420 |
| a mean | 84,260 |
| a median | 80,450 |
| a pct10 | 61,900 |
| a pct25 | 68,410 |
| a pct75 | 95,530 |
| a pct90 | 108,820 |
| h mean | 40 |
| h median | 38 |
The day-to-day work of a respiratory therapists typically centers on provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Monitoring. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.66 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working respiratory therapists, the most common entry qualification is a Associate's Degree (or other 2 (82.8%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 12% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $104,240 and lowest in Mississippi at $61,320 — a 1.7× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, New York, California, New Jersey, Washington) average $101,070. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $104,240 | $102,460 | $79,630 | $125,470 | 360 |
| New York | $103,820 | $105,740 | $78,100 | $127,530 | 6,780 |
| California | $102,120 | $106,790 | $78,150 | $138,000 | 18,310 |
| New Jersey | $98,020 | $97,110 | $77,360 | $117,750 | 3,200 |
| Washington | $97,150 | $96,050 | $76,320 | $121,280 | 1,850 |
| Massachusetts | $96,940 | $95,120 | $74,200 | $118,950 | 2,140 |
| Oregon | $96,130 | $94,160 | $80,290 | $110,390 | 1,410 |
| Hawaii | $94,670 | $94,220 | $85,700 | $101,000 | 310 |
| Alaska | $94,210 | $93,670 | $76,900 | $104,610 | 170 |
| Minnesota | $88,040 | $90,030 | $71,740 | $100,600 | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $87,380 | $89,890 | $70,770 | $106,040 | 410 |
| Maryland | $85,570 | $88,600 | $71,160 | $104,070 | 1,890 |
| New Hampshire | $83,620 | $84,750 | $69,740 | $98,790 | 390 |
| Rhode Island | $83,600 | $84,490 | $66,690 | $104,010 | 250 |
| Connecticut | $83,250 | $88,770 | $70,480 | $101,900 | 1,540 |
| Wisconsin | $82,160 | $82,530 | $67,270 | $96,400 | 1,940 |
| Georgia | $81,890 | $85,890 | $63,510 | $108,380 | 5,030 |
| Illinois | $81,310 | $81,810 | $63,430 | $97,310 | 5,450 |
| Montana | $80,950 | $78,540 | $61,380 | $94,130 | 390 |
| Colorado | $80,690 | $82,270 | $63,770 | $102,210 | 2,070 |
| Florida | $79,710 | $81,310 | $62,940 | $98,890 | 8,840 |
| Virginia | $79,600 | $82,480 | $60,830 | $102,680 | 2,960 |
| Nevada | $79,510 | $85,160 | $64,370 | $115,330 | 1,420 |
| Maine | $79,330 | $77,720 | $62,480 | $91,710 | 450 |
| Arizona | $79,290 | $76,990 | $62,480 | $88,650 | 3,070 |
| Utah | $78,990 | $81,840 | $65,270 | $96,820 | 1,020 |
| Nebraska | $78,880 | $75,000 | $61,660 | $85,870 | 820 |
| Vermont | $78,760 | $75,950 | $47,080 | $96,470 | 230 |
| Ohio | $78,400 | $78,380 | $63,730 | $94,490 | 6,460 |
| Indiana | $77,820 | $75,510 | $62,250 | $89,320 | 3,330 |
| Texas | $77,550 | $78,150 | $61,130 | $94,640 | 11,860 |
| Michigan | $77,460 | $75,230 | $63,750 | $87,430 | 4,150 |
| North Carolina | $77,050 | $76,710 | $61,370 | $90,910 | 4,440 |
| North Dakota | $76,660 | $81,610 | $61,040 | $96,660 | 300 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,160 | $76,170 | $61,440 | $97,490 | 5,850 |
| Oklahoma | $76,080 | $75,230 | $61,460 | $89,460 | 1,700 |
| South Carolina | $75,960 | $73,720 | $62,190 | $82,470 | 1,930 |
| Wyoming | $75,900 | $73,390 | $62,100 | $85,840 | 160 |
| Idaho | $75,510 | $73,890 | $61,070 | $89,280 | 820 |
| Missouri | $73,880 | $74,120 | $57,590 | $93,140 | 3,270 |
| Kansas | $73,580 | $73,300 | $56,690 | $90,620 | 1,260 |
| Louisiana | $70,140 | $73,100 | $59,760 | $84,540 | 2,280 |
| Iowa | $68,790 | $71,460 | $56,260 | $83,480 | 1,050 |
| Arkansas | $67,960 | $67,790 | $52,470 | $82,850 | 1,470 |
| New Mexico | $66,460 | $70,780 | $59,280 | $85,530 | 600 |
| West Virginia | $66,370 | $68,440 | $51,200 | $84,670 | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $65,670 | $67,650 | $52,060 | $81,110 | 2,860 |
| Tennessee | $65,000 | $68,820 | $51,840 | $80,940 | 3,070 |
| South Dakota | $64,720 | $64,000 | $46,680 | $79,820 | 380 |
| Alabama | $64,010 | $65,500 | $48,490 | $82,920 | 2,250 |
| Mississippi | $61,320 | $70,410 | $49,920 | $90,240 | 1,690 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for respiratory therapists. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Respiratory Therapist or Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Respiratory Therapists compares to others in the 29 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Respiratory Therapists
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.