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Respiratory therapist salary in Texas

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

$79,540median pay per year in Texas, or $38.24 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $61,310lowest 10% earn less
  2. $69,67025th percentile
  3. $79,540median
  4. $93,68075th percentile
  5. $99,690top 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 Texas was $79,540 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $2,740 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
12,130[4]
Rank by median pay
34 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−3.3%[6]

How much do respiratory therapists make in Texas?

Respiratory therapists in Texas had a median wage of $79,540 a year, or $38.24 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a little higher at $81,010 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for respiratory therapists was $82,280[3], so Texas was 3.3% lower[6]. Compared with all jobs in Texas, the gap is large. The median for all occupations in the state was $48,620[8], and respiratory therapists earned $30,920 more[9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $61,310[2]. At the high end, the top 10% earned more than $99,690[2]. Among metro areas with a published median, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest at $84,080[10]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had a median of $80,450[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Texas vs US pay

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

TXUS
Median per year$79,540[1]$82,280[3]
Median per hour$38.24[1]$39.56[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$61,310[2]$63,660[13]
Top 10% earn more than$99,690[2]$118,050[13]
Jobs12,130[4]139,790[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX[11]$80,4503,630
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$84,0803,010
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$77,900950
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$82,760770
El Paso, TX$75,490310
Killeen-Temple, TX$74,370260
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$65,390250
Tyler, TX$76,800250

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oklahoma[14]$78,8002,000
Louisiana$75,2402,520
Arkansas$73,8701,400
New Mexico$68,870840

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 Texas?
The median was $79,540 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $81,010 a year[7].
How much does a respiratory therapist make an hour in Texas?
The median hourly wage was $38.24[1]. The 25th percentile hourly wage was $33.50 and the 75th was $45.04[17].
Which city in Texas pays respiratory therapists the most?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest median among Texas metro areas with a published figure, at $84,080 a year[10].
Is Texas a good state for respiratory therapists?
Texas had the 34th highest median annual wage for respiratory therapists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 3.3% lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a respiratory therapist in Texas?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is an associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training usually needed[16]. This is a US figure, not one for Texas.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Respiratory Therapists in Texas was $79,540 per year and $38.24 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 Texas: 10th percentile $61,310, 25th percentile $69,670, 75th percentile $93,680, 90th percentile $99,690. 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 12,130 people worked as Respiratory Therapists in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 34th 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 Texas ($79,540) was $2,740 (3.3%) lower than the US median ($82,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Respiratory Therapists in Texas was $81,010 per year and $38.95 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists in Texas was $30,920 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 21 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Respiratory Therapists, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had the highest median annual wage, $84,080. 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 Texas (highest first): Oklahoma $78,800; Louisiana $75,240; Arkansas $73,870; New Mexico $68,870. 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 Texas: 10th percentile $29.48, 25th percentile $33.50, 75th percentile $45.04, 90th percentile $47.93. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. 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.