Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Baton Rouge, LA make a median of $74,220 a year, or about $35.68 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.78), which stretches that salary to about $81,758 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,204/month, or 24.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Baton Rouge?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baton Rouge’s Regional Price Parity (90.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About respiratory therapists
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What this looks like in Baton Rouge
Respiratory therapists pay in Baton Rouge 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 $1,204/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for respiratory therapists in metros near Baton Rouge, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $77K | $83K |
| Lafayette | $76K | $87K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $74K | $87K |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $77K | $83K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baton Rouge, LA
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Respiratory Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $112K | +36% | 430 |
| New York | $108K | +31% | 7,010 |
| California | $105K | +27% | 18,650 |
| Massachusetts | $102K | +24% | 2,220 |
| Washington | $101K | +23% | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $101K | +23% | 3,350 |
| Oregon | $101K | +22% | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $99K | +20% | 1,250 |
| Alaska | $98K | +19% | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $96K | +17% | 360 |
| Hawaii | $94K | +14% | 510 |
| Delaware | $91K | +11% | 500 |
| Maryland | $89K | +8% | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | +6% | 260 |
| Colorado | $86K | +5% | 2,110 |
| Nevada | $85K | +4% | 1,270 |
| Connecticut | $85K | +4% | 1,370 |
| Wisconsin | $84K | +2% | 1,940 |
| Illinois | $84K | +2% | 4,880 |
| Vermont | $84K | +2% | 210 |
| Georgia | $84K | +2% | 5,150 |
| Virginia | $83K | +1% | 3,340 |
| Maine | $82K | +0% | 520 |
| Nebraska | $82K | -1% | 840 |
| North Dakota | $81K | -1% | 270 |
| Montana | $81K | -1% | 390 |
| Florida | $81K | -1% | 8,820 |
| Utah | $81K | -2% | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $80K | -3% | 4,630 |
| Ohio | $80K | -3% | 6,640 |
| Michigan | $80K | -3% | 4,520 |
| Arizona | $80K | -3% | 3,500 |
| Indiana | $80K | -3% | 3,170 |
| Texas | $80K | -3% | 12,130 |
| Wyoming | $79K | -4% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $79K | -4% | 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | -5% | 6,530 |
| Idaho | $78K | -5% | 820 |
| Missouri | $78K | -5% | 3,030 |
| South Carolina | $78K | -6% | 1,960 |
| Kansas | $77K | -6% | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $75K | -9% | 2,520 |
| Iowa | $75K | -9% | 910 |
| Arkansas | $74K | -10% | 1,400 |
| Kentucky | $73K | -12% | 2,530 |
| Tennessee | $72K | -12% | 3,440 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -16% | 840 |
| West Virginia | $69K | -17% | 1,140 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -17% | 430 |
| Alabama | $66K | -20% | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $63K | -23% | 1,670 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
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Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baton Rouge?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,204/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Baton Rouge?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,625/month. At HUD’s $1,204/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Baton Rouge?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Baton Rouge compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Baton Rouge pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — below the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median is $74,220 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,420, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $98,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Baton Rouge?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,836/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,204/month, which eats 24.9% 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 Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has a Regional Price Parity of 90.78 (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 $81,758 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.