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Respiratory therapist salary in Arkansas

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

$73,870median pay per year in Arkansas, or $35.51 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $59,550lowest 10% earn less
  2. $63,12025th percentile
  3. $73,870median
  4. $78,52075th percentile
  5. $93,480top 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 Arkansas was $73,870 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $8,410 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in AR
1,400[4]
Rank by median pay
44 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−10.2%[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in Arkansas?

Half of respiratory therapists in Arkansas earned more than $73,870 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $35.51 an hour[1]. The average was $72,740 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for this job was $82,280 a year[3]. Arkansas came in $8,410, or 10.2%, below that[6]. Arkansas had the 44th highest median for this job out of the 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Against all jobs in the state, respiratory therapists did well. The median for all occupations in Arkansas was $43,630, so they earned $30,240 more[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $59,550, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $93,480[2]. Among the 5 metro areas with a published median, Texarkana, TX-AR had the highest at $78,880[10]. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway had a median of $75,300[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].

Arkansas vs US pay

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

ARUS
Median per year$73,870[1]$82,280[3]
Median per hour$35.51[1]$39.56[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$59,550[2]$63,660[13]
Top 10% earn more than$93,480[2]$118,050[13]
Jobs1,400[4]139,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Arkansas

Metro areas in Arkansas 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
Memphis, TN-MS-AR[11]$66,460670
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR$75,300530
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$77,720220
Texarkana, TX-AR$78,880110
Fort Smith, AR-OK$78,080100

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Texas[14]$79,54012,130
Oklahoma$78,8002,000
Missouri$78,3903,030
Louisiana$75,2402,520
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 Arkansas?
The median was $73,870 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $59,550 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $93,480[2].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in Arkansas?
The median hourly wage was $35.51[1]. The mean hourly wage was $34.97[7].
Which city in Arkansas pays respiratory therapists the most?
Of the 5 metro areas with a published median, Texarkana, TX-AR had the highest at $78,880 a year[10]. That metro area crosses the state line and is counted as a whole[11].
Is Arkansas a good state for respiratory therapists?
Arkansas ranked 44th out of 50 states and DC for the median annual wage for this job[5]. The median was $8,410 below the US median[6]. It was $30,240 above the median for all jobs in Arkansas[9].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in Arkansas?
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 Arkansas was $73,870 per year and $35.51 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 Arkansas: 10th percentile $59,550, 25th percentile $63,120, 75th percentile $78,520, 90th percentile $93,480. 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 1,400 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in Arkansas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Arkansas had the 44th 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 Arkansas ($73,870) was $8,410 (10.2%) lower than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Respiratory Therapists in Arkansas was $72,740 per year and $34.97 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Arkansas was $43,630. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Arkansas was $30,240 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($43,630). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 5 metro areas in or partly in Arkansas with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, Texarkana, TX-AR had the highest median annual wage, $78,880. 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 Arkansas (highest first): Texas $79,540; Oklahoma $78,800; Missouri $78,390; Louisiana $75,240; 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 Arkansas. 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.