Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Arkansas make a median of $73,870 a year, or about $35.51 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $84,288 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 21% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $74K actually covers in Arkansas, month by month
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Respiratory therapists pay in Arkansas tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 21.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Arkansas
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith | $78K | +6% | 100 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $78K | +5% | 220 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $75K | +2% | 530 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 21.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,978/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Arkansas pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Arkansas?
The median is $73,870 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,550, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $93,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,803/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 21.3% 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 Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 $84,288 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.