Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Colorado make a median of $86,220 a year, or about $41.45 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $83,136 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $86K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About respiratory therapists
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What this looks like in Colorado
Respiratory therapists pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,832/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) 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, Colorado
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Colorado
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $92K | +7% | 130 |
| Colorado Springs | $88K | +2% | 330 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $86K | -0% | 1,100 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $84K | -3% | N/A |
| Grand Junction | $81K | -6% | 70 |
| Pueblo | $81K | -6% | 90 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado 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 Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 33.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,357/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Colorado pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Colorado?
The median is $86,220 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,560, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $109,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,437/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 33.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a respiratory therapists salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median respiratory therapists salary is worth about $83,136 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.