Key Insights

📊
Overall Trend
Decreasing
-5.4% over 72 years
💰
Latest Median (2024)
$79,720
National average
📈
Average Annual Growth
-0.1%
Per year average
📅
Data Range
72 Years
2020 to 2024
Latest (2024)
$79,720
72-Year Change
$4,540 -5.4%

Respiratory Therapists Salary History (2020-2024)

$84,260
2024
$84,540
2024
+0.3%
$75,260
2024
-11.0%
$75,150
2024
-0.1%
$75,140
2024
-0.0%
$86,750
2024
+15.5%
$86,750
2024
0.0%
$70,170
2024
-19.1%
$70,160
2024
-0.0%
$70,160
2024
0.0%
$63,030
2024
-10.2%
$67,140
2024
+6.5%
$67,140
2024
0.0%
$67,140
2024
0.0%
$106,780
2024
+59.0%
$106,780
2024
0.0%
$106,780
2024
0.0%
$106,780
2024
0.0%
$86,050
2024
-19.4%
$86,050
2024
0.0%
$86,050
2024
0.0%
$102,650
2024
+19.3%
$102,650
2024
0.0%
$102,700
2024
+0.0%
$107,830
2024
+5.0%
$88,040
2024
-18.4%
$88,040
2024
0.0%
$86,440
2024
-1.8%
$90,940
2024
+5.2%
$77,400
2024
-14.9%
$89,170
2024
+15.2%
$90,070
2024
+1.0%
$88,730
2024
-1.5%
$86,560
2024
-2.4%
$84,350
2024
-2.6%
$89,380
2024
+6.0%
$74,680
2024
-16.4%
$93,650
2024
+25.4%
$82,430
2024
-12.0%
$97,480
2024
+18.3%
$109,100
2024
+11.9%
$74,620
2024
-31.6%
$75,500
2024
+1.2%
$78,740
2024
+4.3%
$91,050
2024
+15.6%
$84,070
2024
-7.7%
$89,170
2024
+6.1%
$79,360
2024
-11.0%
$84,360
2024
+6.3%
$84,130
2024
-0.3%
$89,890
2024
+6.8%
$79,310
2024
-11.8%
$84,450
2024
+6.5%
$75,070
2024
-11.1%
$75,900
2024
+1.1%
$83,570
2024
+10.1%
$79,590
2024
-4.8%
$83,640
2024
+5.1%
$79,060
2024
-5.5%
$79,490
2024
+0.5%
$71,650
2024
-9.9%
$72,920
2024
+1.8%
$77,770
2024
+6.7%
$76,180
2024
-2.0%
$76,180
2024
0.0%
$82,180
2024
+7.9%
$73,980
2024
-10.0%
$73,980
2024
0.0%
$65,180
2024
-11.9%
$88,390
2024
+35.6%
$88,560
2024
+0.2%
$79,720
2024
-10.0%

Historical Data (2024-2024)

Year Median Salary Year-over-Year Change
2024 $84,260 Baseline
2024 $84,540 ▲ $280 (+0.3%)
2024 $75,260 ▼ $9,280 (-11.0%)
2024 $75,150 ▼ $110 (-0.1%)
2024 $75,140 ▼ $10 (-0.0%)
2024 $86,750 ▲ $11,610 (+15.5%)
2024 $86,750 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $70,170 ▼ $16,580 (-19.1%)
2024 $70,160 ▼ $10 (-0.0%)
2024 $70,160 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $63,030 ▼ $7,130 (-10.2%)
2024 $67,140 ▲ $4,110 (+6.5%)
2024 $67,140 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $67,140 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $106,780 ▲ $39,640 (+59.0%)
2024 $106,780 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $106,780 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $106,780 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $86,050 ▼ $20,730 (-19.4%)
2024 $86,050 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $86,050 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $102,650 ▲ $16,600 (+19.3%)
2024 $102,650 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $102,700 ▲ $50 (+0.0%)
2024 $107,830 ▲ $5,130 (+5.0%)
2024 $88,040 ▼ $19,790 (-18.4%)
2024 $88,040 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $86,440 ▼ $1,600 (-1.8%)
2024 $90,940 ▲ $4,500 (+5.2%)
2024 $77,400 ▼ $13,540 (-14.9%)
2024 $89,170 ▲ $11,770 (+15.2%)
2024 $90,070 ▲ $900 (+1.0%)
2024 $88,730 ▼ $1,340 (-1.5%)
2024 $86,560 ▼ $2,170 (-2.4%)
2024 $84,350 ▼ $2,210 (-2.6%)
2024 $89,380 ▲ $5,030 (+6.0%)
2024 $74,680 ▼ $14,700 (-16.4%)
2024 $93,650 ▲ $18,970 (+25.4%)
2024 $82,430 ▼ $11,220 (-12.0%)
2024 $97,480 ▲ $15,050 (+18.3%)
2024 $109,100 ▲ $11,620 (+11.9%)
2024 $74,620 ▼ $34,480 (-31.6%)
2024 $75,500 ▲ $880 (+1.2%)
2024 $78,740 ▲ $3,240 (+4.3%)
2024 $91,050 ▲ $12,310 (+15.6%)
2024 $84,070 ▼ $6,980 (-7.7%)
2024 $89,170 ▲ $5,100 (+6.1%)
2024 $79,360 ▼ $9,810 (-11.0%)
2024 $84,360 ▲ $5,000 (+6.3%)
2024 $84,130 ▼ $230 (-0.3%)
2024 $89,890 ▲ $5,760 (+6.8%)
2024 $79,310 ▼ $10,580 (-11.8%)
2024 $84,450 ▲ $5,140 (+6.5%)
2024 $75,070 ▼ $9,380 (-11.1%)
2024 $75,900 ▲ $830 (+1.1%)
2024 $83,570 ▲ $7,670 (+10.1%)
2024 $79,590 ▼ $3,980 (-4.8%)
2024 $83,640 ▲ $4,050 (+5.1%)
2024 $79,060 ▼ $4,580 (-5.5%)
2024 $79,490 ▲ $430 (+0.5%)
2024 $71,650 ▼ $7,840 (-9.9%)
2024 $72,920 ▲ $1,270 (+1.8%)
2024 $77,770 ▲ $4,850 (+6.7%)
2024 $76,180 ▼ $1,590 (-2.0%)
2024 $76,180 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $82,180 ▲ $6,000 (+7.9%)
2024 $73,980 ▼ $8,200 (-10.0%)
2024 $73,980 ▲ $0 (0.0%)
2024 $65,180 ▼ $8,800 (-11.9%)
2024 $88,390 ▲ $23,210 (+35.6%)
2024 $88,560 ▲ $170 (+0.2%)
2024 $79,720 ▼ $8,840 (-10.0%)

Trend Analysis

Historical Context

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2024), Respiratory Therapists earn a median annual wage of $79,720 nationwide. This represents a $4,540 change from 2020, when the median was $84,260.

Year-over-Year Changes

Over the past 72 years, Respiratory Therapists salaries have shown a decreasing trend with an average annual growth rate of -0.1%. This decline may reflect market corrections or changes in the occupation's role.

Previous Data

Previous median (2020): $84,260
Current median (2024): $79,720
Total change: $4,540 (-5.4%)

Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Survey. Data represents national average annual wages for Respiratory Therapists. Learn more about our methodology.

Last verified: December 9, 2025