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Salary comparison

Respiratory Therapists vs. Cardiologists: Salary Comparison (2026)

Respiratory Therapistss earn a median salary of $80,450/year, while Cardiologistss earn $84,400/year - a difference of $3,950. Cardiologistss earn more on average. Both salaries are based on national BLS data.

Respiratory Therapists
Cardiologists
Median salary
$80,450
$84,400
Hourly rate
$38.68/hr
$40.58/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$61,900
$81,520
Senior level (90th %)
$108,820
$0
Education required
Varies
Varies
U.S. employment
136,420
N/A
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Full Respiratory Therapists salary breakdownView →Full Cardiologists salary breakdownView →How to become a respiratory therapistsGuide →How to become a cardiologistsGuide →