Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Arizona make a median of $79,780 a year, or about $38.36 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $82,751 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,437/month, or 26.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Arizona?
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What this looks like in Arizona
Respiratory therapists pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,437/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Arizona
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $86K | +8% | 60 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $82K | +3% | 60 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $80K | -0% | 2,600 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas | $79K | -1% | 40 |
| Tucson | $78K | -2% | 540 |
| Yuma | $74K | -8% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 27.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,887/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Arizona pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Arizona?
The median is $79,780 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,780, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $99,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,210/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 27.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a respiratory therapists salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median respiratory therapists salary is worth about $82,751 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do respiratory therapists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.