U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAssess, 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.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 109,270 | 1.0 % | $26.54 | $55,200 | 0.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $19.22 | $22.19 | $26.10 | $30.54 | $35.29 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $39,990 | $46,160 | $54,280 | $63,510 | $73,410 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 85,070 | 1.65 | $26.37 | $54,840 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 5,210 | 2.43 | $27.82 | $57,870 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | 3,490 | 0.21 | $27.85 | $57,920 |
| Offices of Physicians | 2,300 | 0.10 | $25.46 | $52,950 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 2,300 | 0.35 | $28.82 | $59,940 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 5,210 | 2.43 | $27.82 | $57,870 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 85,070 | 1.65 | $26.37 | $54,840 |
| Consumer Goods Rental | 1,960 | 0.96 | $24.10 | $50,120 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 2,300 | 0.35 | $28.82 | $59,940 |
| Nursing Care Facilities | 3,490 | 0.21 | $27.85 | $57,920 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 780 | 0.03 | $31.95 | $66,450 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 220 | (7) | $30.26 | $62,940 |
| Employment Services | 1,960 | 0.07 | $29.46 | $61,270 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 2,300 | 0.35 | $28.82 | $59,940 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing | 160 | 0.14 | $28.36 | $58,980 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 12,570 | 0.90 | 1.05 | $32.68 | $67,970 |
| Texas | 9,890 | 0.98 | 1.14 | $25.15 | $52,320 |
| Florida | 6,450 | 0.91 | 1.06 | $24.54 | $51,040 |
| New York | 5,810 | 0.70 | 0.81 | $30.66 | $63,770 |
| Ohio | 5,460 | 1.11 | 1.29 | $24.54 | $51,030 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 2,160 | 1.26 | 1.46 | $21.21 | $44,110 |
| Tennessee | 3,140 | 1.22 | 1.42 | $22.62 | $47,060 |
| Mississippi | 1,280 | 1.20 | 1.40 | $24.00 | $49,910 |
| West Virginia | 800 | 1.17 | 1.36 | $21.59 | $44,910 |
| Indiana | 3,090 | 1.13 | 1.32 | $24.73 | $51,430 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 12,570 | 0.90 | 1.05 | $32.68 | $67,970 |
| Nevada | 610 | 0.55 | 0.64 | $32.07 | $66,710 |
| New Jersey | 2,380 | 0.63 | 0.74 | $31.77 | $66,080 |
| Maryland | 1,670 | 0.68 | 0.79 | $31.74 | $66,020 |
| Connecticut | 1,190 | 0.75 | 0.87 | $31.02 | $64,530 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 3,690 | 0.97 | 1.12 | $31.65 | $65,830 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 3,340 | 0.67 | 0.78 | $32.87 | $68,370 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 2,850 | 0.81 | 0.94 | $26.47 | $55,060 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 2,150 | 0.86 | 1.00 | $26.54 | $55,210 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 2,010 | 1.00 | 1.17 | $25.79 | $53,640 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 1,890 | 0.86 | 1.00 | $25.31 | $52,650 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 1,820 | 1.01 | 1.18 | $28.92 | $60,150 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 1,470 | 0.88 | 1.02 | $23.97 | $49,850 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,320 | 1.16 | 1.35 | $29.99 | $62,390 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 1,280 | 1.02 | 1.19 | $24.26 | $50,470 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI | 250 | 3.12 | 3.63 | $25.81 | $53,680 |
| Dothan, AL | 130 | 2.37 | 2.76 | $24.87 | $51,730 |
| Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL | 110 | 2.33 | 2.71 | $22.17 | $46,110 |
| Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV | 90 | 2.25 | 2.62 | $23.96 | $49,830 |
| Rochester, MN | 220 | 2.23 | 2.59 | $31.65 | $65,830 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 80 | 2.22 | 2.58 | $22.64 | $47,100 |
| Morgantown, WV | 130 | 2.17 | 2.52 | $23.07 | $47,990 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 100 | 2.16 | 2.52 | $25.82 | $53,710 |
| Victoria, TX | 100 | 2.11 | 2.46 | $24.55 | $51,060 |
| Jackson, TN | 120 | 2.08 | 2.42 | $17.47 | $36,340 |