Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Delaware make a median of $91,080 a year, or about $43.79 an hour. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $93,406 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,448/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Delaware. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $91K get you in Delaware?
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What this looks like in Delaware
Delaware sits well above the national pay line for respiratory therapists, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $82K. Rent runs $1,448/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $91K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Delaware
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | $84K | -7% | 60 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
Yes — at the median salary of $91K, rent takes 25.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,753/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Delaware?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $91K here vs. $82K nationally.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Delaware pays $91K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Delaware?
The median is $91,080 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,210, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $109,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $91K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,641/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 25.7% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $93,406 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.