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Respiratory therapist salary in Michigan

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$79,850median pay per year in Michigan, or $38.39 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $64,770lowest 10% earn less
  2. $71,74025th percentile
  3. $79,850median
  4. $83,02075th percentile
  5. $90,210top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $82,280[3]

The median respiratory therapist in Michigan earned $79,850 a year[1]. That was $2,430 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in MI
4,520[4]
Rank by median pay
31 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−3.0%[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in Michigan?

Half of the respiratory therapists in Michigan earned more than $79,850 a year and half earned less[1]. The average was a little lower, at $78,550[7]. Across the US, the median was $82,280[3], so Michigan's median was $2,430 (3.0%) lower[6]. Compared with all jobs in the state, where the median was $49,270[8], respiratory therapists earned $30,580 more[9].

Pay spreads out on both sides of the median. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $64,770, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $90,210[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $71,740 and $83,020[2]. The same range by the hour runs from $31.14 to $43.37 for the 10th to 90th percentiles[10].

Within Michigan, Battle Creek had the highest median of the metro areas with published figures, at $81,440[11]. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn had a median of $80,790, with 1,910 jobs[12]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers, part time and full time. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[13].

Michigan vs US pay

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

MIUS
Median per year$79,850[1]$82,280[3]
Median per hour$38.39[1]$39.56[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$64,770[2]$63,660[14]
Top 10% earn more than$90,210[2]$118,050[14]
Jobs4,520[4]139,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Michigan

Metro areas in Michigan with the most jobs for respiratory therapists, and the median pay in each[12]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI[12]$80,7901,910
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI$78,070690
Ann Arbor, MI$79,850390
Lansing-East Lansing, MI$78,530160
Flint, MI$77,760150
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI$76,220130
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI$79,450110
Battle Creek, MI$81,44060

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for respiratory therapists in the states that border Michigan, highest first[15].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Wisconsin[15]$84,2101,940
Ohio$79,9206,640
Indiana$79,7303,170

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[16]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[17].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a respiratory therapist make in Michigan?
The median respiratory therapist in Michigan earned $79,850 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $78,550[7].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in Michigan?
The median hourly wage was $38.39[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31.14 an hour and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $43.37[2][10].
Which city in Michigan pays respiratory therapists the most?
Among metro areas with a published median, Battle Creek had the highest, at $81,440 a year[11]. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn had a median of $80,790[12].
Is Michigan a good state for respiratory therapists?
Michigan had the 31st highest median wage for this job out of the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was 3.0% lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in Michigan?
This is a US figure, not a Michigan one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is an associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training typical[17].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in Michigan was $79,850 per year and $38.39 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 Michigan: 10th percentile $64,770, 25th percentile $71,740, 75th percentile $83,020, 90th percentile $90,210. 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 4,520 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in Michigan (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Michigan had the 31st 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 Michigan ($79,850) was $2,430 (3.0%) lower than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Respiratory Therapists in Michigan was $78,550 per year and $37.76 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Michigan was $49,270. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Michigan was $30,580 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($49,270). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Respiratory Therapists in Michigan: 10th percentile $31.14, 25th percentile $34.49, 75th percentile $39.91, 90th percentile $43.37. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 9 metro areas in or partly in Michigan with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, Battle Creek, MI had the highest median annual wage, $81,440. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in states that border Michigan (highest first): Wisconsin $84,210; Ohio $79,920; Indiana $79,730. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. 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
  17. 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 Michigan. 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.