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Respiratory therapist salary in Alabama

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$66,150median pay per year in Alabama, or $31.81 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $50,250lowest 10% earn less
  2. $57,48025th percentile
  3. $66,150median
  4. $76,92075th percentile
  5. $81,030top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $82,280[3]

The median pay for respiratory therapists in Alabama was $66,150 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $16,130 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in AL
2,350[4]
Rank by median pay
50 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−19.6%[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in Alabama?

Half of respiratory therapists in Alabama earned more than $66,150 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $31.81 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher, at $68,480 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for this job was $82,280 a year[3]. Alabama came in $16,130, or 19.6%, below that[6]. Alabama had the 50th highest median for this job out of the 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Against all jobs in the state, the picture is different. The median for all occupations in Alabama was $45,670, so respiratory therapists earned $20,480 more[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,250, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $81,030[2]. Among metro areas, Mobile had the highest median at $79,490[10]. Birmingham had the largest group of these workers, with a median of $67,480[11].

These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits to employers[12].

Alabama vs US pay

Pay for respiratory therapists in Alabama next to the national figures[1][3].

ALUS
Median per year$66,150[1]$82,280[3]
Median per hour$31.81[1]$39.56[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$50,250[2]$63,660[13]
Top 10% earn more than$81,030[2]$118,050[13]
Jobs2,350[4]139,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Alabama

Metro areas in Alabama with the most jobs for respiratory therapists, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Birmingham, AL[11]$67,480790
Huntsville, AL$64,330270
Mobile, AL$79,490180
Montgomery, AL$76,920180
Columbus, GA-AL$77,150150
Tuscaloosa, AL$64,140110
Dothan, AL$61,290100
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL$74,65080

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for respiratory therapists in the states that border Alabama, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$83,7005,150
Florida$81,1608,820
Tennessee$72,1403,440
Mississippi$63,2701,670

Median pay for respiratory therapists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for respiratory therapists are projected to grow 8.5% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a respiratory therapist make in Alabama?
The median was $66,150 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,250 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $81,030[2].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in Alabama?
The median hourly wage was $31.81[1]. The mean hourly wage was $32.92[7].
Which city in Alabama pays respiratory therapists the most?
Of the 10 metro areas with a published median, Mobile had the highest at $79,490 a year[10]. Montgomery had a median of $76,920[11].
Is Alabama a good state for respiratory therapists?
Alabama ranked 50th out of 50 states and DC for the median annual wage for this job[5]. The median was $16,130 below the US median[6]. It was $20,480 above the median for all jobs in Alabama[9].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in Alabama?
This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical entry education is an associate's degree[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in Alabama was $66,150 per year and $31.81 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Respiratory Therapists in Alabama: 10th percentile $50,250, 25th percentile $57,480, 75th percentile $76,920, 90th percentile $81,030. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in the US as a whole was $82,280 per year and $39.56 per hour, with about 139,790 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,350 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in Alabama (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Alabama had the 50th highest median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Alabama ($66,150) was $16,130 (19.6%) lower than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Respiratory Therapists in Alabama was $68,480 per year and $32.92 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Alabama was $45,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Alabama was $20,480 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($45,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 10 metro areas in or partly in Alabama with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, Mobile, AL had the highest median annual wage, $79,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Respiratory Therapists in the US: 10th percentile $63,660, 25th percentile $74,520, 75th percentile $98,730, 90th percentile $118,050. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in states that border Alabama (highest first): Georgia $83,700; Florida $81,160; Tennessee $72,140; Mississippi $63,270. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Respiratory Therapists is projected to grow 8.5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 8,600 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Respiratory Therapists: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only Alabama. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.