How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in Colorado?

The median hourly wage was $41.45.

Is Colorado a good state for respiratory therapists?

Colorado ranked 15th out of 50 states and DC for the median annual wage for this job. The median was $3,940 higher than the US median. It was $26,420 above the median for all jobs in Colorado.

What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in Colorado?

This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical entry education is an associate's degree.

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Respiratory therapist salary in Colorado

Q: How much does a respiratory therapist make in Colorado?

The median was $86,220 a year in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $66,560 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $109,070.

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

$86,220median pay per year in Colorado, or $41.45 an hour, May 2025^[1]

$66,560lowest 10% earn less
$78,98025th percentile
$86,220median
$100,13075th percentile
$109,070top 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 Colorado was $86,220 a year in May 2025^[1]. That was $3,940 higher than the US median^[6].

Jobs in CO: 2,110^[4]
Rank by median pay: 15 of 51^[5]
Compared with US median: +4.8%^[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in Colorado?

Half of respiratory therapists in Colorado earned more than $86,220 a year, and half earned less^[1]. That works out to $41.45 an hour^[1].

Across the US, the median for this job was $82,280 a year^[3]. Colorado came in $3,940, or 4.8%, higher than that^[6]. Colorado had the 15th highest median for this job out of the 50 states and DC with a published figure^[5]. The median for all occupations in Colorado was $59,800, so they earned $26,420 more^[7]^[8].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $66,560, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $109,070^[2]. Among the 5 metro areas with a published median, Boulder had the highest at $91,880^[9]. Denver-Aurora-Centennial had a median of $85,870^[10].

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^[11].

Colorado vs US pay

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

	CO	US
Median per year	$86,220^[1]	$82,280^[3]
Median per hour	$41.45^[1]	$39.56^[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than	$66,560^[2]	$63,660^[12]
Top 10% earn more than	$109,070^[2]	$118,050^[12]
Jobs	2,110^[4]	139,790^[3]

Pay by metro area in Colorado

Metro areas in Colorado with the most jobs for respiratory therapists, and the median pay in each^[10].

Metro area	Median per year	Jobs
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO^[10]	$85,870	1,100
Colorado Springs, CO	$87,890	330
Boulder, CO	$91,880	130
Pueblo, CO	$80,860	90
Grand Junction, CO	$81,290	70

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for respiratory therapists in the states that border Colorado, highest first^[13].

State	Median per year	Jobs
Nebraska^[13]	$81,590	840
Utah	$80,650	1,170
Arizona	$79,780	3,500
Wyoming	$79,330	160
Oklahoma	$78,800	2,000
Kansas	$76,970	1,450
New Mexico	$68,870	840

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^[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree^[15].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a respiratory therapist make in Colorado?: The median was $86,220 a year in May 2025^[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $66,560 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $109,070^[2].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in Colorado?: The median hourly wage was $41.45^[1].
Which city in Colorado pays respiratory therapists the most?: Of the 5 metro areas with a published median, Boulder had the highest at $91,880 a year^[9].
Is Colorado a good state for respiratory therapists?: Colorado ranked 15th out of 50 states and DC for the median annual wage for this job^[5]. The median was $3,940 higher than the US median^[6]. It was $26,420 above the median for all jobs in Colorado^[8].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in Colorado?: This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical entry education is an associate's degree^[15].

Facts and sources

BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in Colorado was $86,220 per year and $41.45 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Respiratory Therapists in Colorado: 10th percentile $66,560, 25th percentile $78,980, 75th percentile $100,130, 90th percentile $109,070. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
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
BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,110 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in Colorado (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025: Colorado had the 15th highest median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Colorado ($86,220) was $3,940 (4.8%) higher than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Colorado was $59,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Colorado was $26,420 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,800). BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 5 metro areas in or partly in Colorado with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, Boulder, CO had the highest median annual wage, $91,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
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
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
BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in states that border Colorado (highest first): Nebraska $81,590; Utah $80,650; Arizona $79,780; Wyoming $79,330; Oklahoma $78,800; Kansas $76,970; New Mexico $68,870. BLS OEWS, May 2025
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
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 Colorado. 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.