Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

29-1126 Respiratory Therapists

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.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

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

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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