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Respiratory therapist salary in South Carolina

Updated November 1, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$77,740median pay per year in South Carolina, or $37.38 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $63,700lowest 10% earn less
  2. $67,41025th percentile
  3. $77,740median
  4. $82,40075th percentile
  5. $90,670top 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 South Carolina was $77,740 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $4,540 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in SC
1,960[4]
Rank by median pay
40 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−5.5%[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in South Carolina?

Respiratory therapists in South Carolina had a median wage of $77,740 a year, or $37.38 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was $76,490 a year[7].

The US median was $82,280, so South Carolina ran $4,540 (5.5%) lower[6]. The state had the 40th highest median of the 50 states and DC[5]. Compared with all jobs in South Carolina, the median for this job was $31,250 higher than the $46,490 all-occupation median[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $63,700, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $90,670[2]. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC had the highest median among the 8 metro areas with a published figure, at $82,020[10]. Columbia came in at $79,780 and Charleston-North Charleston at $79,410[11].

OEWS covers people paid a wage or salary, part time or full time. Self-employed workers and owners are left out, and so are bonuses and the cost of benefits to employers[12].

South Carolina vs US pay

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

SCUS
Median per year$77,740[1]$82,280[3]
Median per hour$37.38[1]$39.56[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$63,700[2]$63,660[13]
Top 10% earn more than$90,670[2]$118,050[13]
Jobs1,960[4]139,790[3]

Pay by metro area in South Carolina

Metro areas in South Carolina 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
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC[11]$82,0201,110
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC$78,390400
Charleston-North Charleston, SC$79,410390
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC$78,560350
Columbia, SC$79,780330
Spartanburg, SC$67,700220
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC$76,440150
Florence, SC$78,550100

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$83,7005,150
North Carolina$80,0904,630

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 South Carolina?
The median was $77,740 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $76,490 a year[7].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in South Carolina?
The median hourly wage was $37.38[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30.63 an hour and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $43.59[17][2].
Which city in South Carolina pays respiratory therapists the most?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC had the highest median of the 8 metro areas with a published figure, at $82,020 a year[10].
Is South Carolina a good state for respiratory therapists?
South Carolina ranked 40th of the 50 states and DC on median pay for this job[5]. Its median was $4,540 below the US median[6] and $31,250 above the median for all jobs in the state[8].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in South Carolina?
This is a US figure, not a South Carolina one. Across the US, the typical entry education is an Associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in South Carolina was $77,740 per year and $37.38 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 South Carolina: 10th percentile $63,700, 25th percentile $67,410, 75th percentile $82,400, 90th percentile $90,670. 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 1,960 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in South Carolina (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: South Carolina had the 40th 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 South Carolina ($77,740) was $4,540 (5.5%) lower than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Respiratory Therapists in South Carolina was $76,490 per year and $36.78 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in South Carolina was $31,250 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($46,490). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in South Carolina was $46,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 8 metro areas in or partly in South Carolina with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC had the highest median annual wage, $82,020. 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 South Carolina (highest first): Georgia $83,700; North Carolina $80,090. 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 South Carolina: 10th percentile $30.63, 25th percentile $32.41, 75th percentile $39.61, 90th percentile $43.59. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only South Carolina. 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.