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Respiratory therapist salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$104,820median pay per year in California, or $50.40 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $77,010lowest 10% earn less
  2. $87,75025th percentile
  3. $104,820median
  4. $129,01075th percentile
  5. $145,510top 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 California was $104,820 a year in May 2025[1]. Among the states and DC with a published median, that ranked 3rd highest[5].

Jobs in CA
18,650[4]
Rank by median pay
3 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+27.4%[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in California?

Half of the respiratory therapists in California earned more than $104,820 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $50.40 an hour[1]. The average was a bit higher at $109,440 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for respiratory therapists was $82,280 a year[3]. California's median was $22,540 (27.4%) higher[6]. For all jobs in the state, the median was $58,240[8]. Respiratory therapists in California earned $46,580 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $77,010, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $145,510[2]. Pay differs by metro area. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $149,680[10]. Among the metro areas with the most respiratory therapist jobs, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had a median of $134,430 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had $130,220[11]. Fresno had a median of $83,340[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

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

CAUS
Median per year$104,820[1]$82,280[3]
Median per hour$50.40[1]$39.56[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$77,010[2]$63,660[13]
Top 10% earn more than$145,510[2]$118,050[13]
Jobs18,650[4]139,790[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for respiratory therapists, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$104,6407,010
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$100,4802,200
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$130,2202,010
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$105,0401,430
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$134,4301,140
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$149,6801,060
Fresno, CA$83,340580
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$102,760370

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$100,5601,340
Nevada$85,4801,270
Arizona$79,7803,500

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 California?
The median was $104,820 a year in May 2025, and the average was $109,440[1][7]. The US median was $82,280[3].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $50.40[1]. The 10th percentile was $37.02 an hour and the 90th percentile was $69.96[17].
Which city in California pays respiratory therapists the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median annual wage, $149,680, among 20 metro areas with a published median[10].
Is California a good state for respiratory therapists?
California had the 3rd highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 27.4% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in California?
Across the US, the typical entry education is an associate's degree, with no related work experience or on-the-job training needed[16]. This is a US figure, not a California one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in California was $104,820 per year and $50.40 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 California: 10th percentile $77,010, 25th percentile $87,750, 75th percentile $129,010, 90th percentile $145,510. 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 18,650 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 3rd 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 California ($104,820) was $22,540 (27.4%) higher than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Respiratory Therapists in California was $109,440 per year and $52.62 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in California was $46,580 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 20 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $149,680. 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 California (highest first): Oregon $100,560; Nevada $85,480; Arizona $79,780. 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
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Respiratory Therapists in California: 10th percentile $37.02, 25th percentile $42.19, 75th percentile $62.03, 90th percentile $69.96. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. 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.