Home / Compare / Respiratory Therapists vs. Registered Nurses Salary comparison Respiratory Therapists vs. Registered Nurses: Salary Comparison Respiratory Therapists earn a median salary of $80,450/year, while Registered Nurses earn $93,600/year — a difference of $13,150. Registered Nurses earn more on average. Both salaries are based on national BLS data.
Respiratory Therapists
Registered Nurses
Median salary
$80,450
$93,600
Hourly rate
$38.68/hr
$45/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$61,900
$66,030
Senior level (90th %)
$108,820
$135,320
Education required
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
136,420
3,282,010
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
4.9%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Source data is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal agencies. AffordMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Per BLS policy, "BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov."
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