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Respiratory therapist salary in Florida

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

$81,160median pay per year in Florida, or $39.02 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $64,240lowest 10% earn less
  2. $75,21025th percentile
  3. $81,160median
  4. $87,99075th percentile
  5. $100,310top 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 Florida was $81,160 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $1,120 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in FL
8,820[4]
Rank by median pay
27 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−1.4%[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in Florida?

Half of the respiratory therapists in Florida earned more than $81,160 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $39.02 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher at $82,400 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $82,280, so Florida sat 1.4% below it[3][6]. Florida ranked 27th out of the 50 states and DC for this median[5].

Compared with all jobs in Florida, respiratory therapists earned more. The median for all occupations in the state was $47,880, and respiratory therapists earned $33,280 more[8][9]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $64,240, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $100,310[2].

By metro area, Lakeland-Winter Haven had the highest median at $86,300[10]. Among the metro areas listed in the table below, North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota had a median of $83,110, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had $80,880[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Florida vs US pay

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

FLUS
Median per year$81,160[1]$82,280[3]
Median per hour$39.02[1]$39.56[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$64,240[2]$63,660[13]
Top 10% earn more than$100,310[2]$118,050[13]
Jobs8,820[4]139,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Florida

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL[11]$80,8802,620
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$81,6301,320
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$82,0701,190
Jacksonville, FL$81,760670
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL$80,680350
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$83,110260
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL$78,650250
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL$86,300250

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$83,7005,150
Alabama$66,1502,350

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 Florida?
The median pay for respiratory therapists in Florida was $81,160 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $82,400[7].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in Florida?
The median hourly wage was $39.02[1]. The 10th percentile was $30.89 an hour and the 90th percentile was $48.23[17].
Which city in Florida pays respiratory therapists the most?
Lakeland-Winter Haven had the highest median annual wage among the 16 Florida metro areas with a published median, at $86,300[10].
Is Florida a good state for respiratory therapists?
Florida had the 27th highest median annual wage for respiratory therapists among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $1,120 lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in Florida?
This is a US figure, not a Florida one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is an associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in Florida was $81,160 per year and $39.02 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 Florida: 10th percentile $64,240, 25th percentile $75,210, 75th percentile $87,990, 90th percentile $100,310. 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 8,820 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in Florida (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Florida had the 27th 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 Florida ($81,160) was $1,120 (1.4%) lower than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Respiratory Therapists in Florida was $82,400 per year and $39.61 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Florida was $47,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Florida was $33,280 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 16 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL had the highest median annual wage, $86,300. 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 Florida (highest first): Georgia $83,700; Alabama $66,150. 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 Florida: 10th percentile $30.89, 25th percentile $36.16, 75th percentile $42.30, 90th percentile $48.23. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Florida. 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.