Respiratory Therapists Salary in Erie, PA
Respiratory Therapists in Erie, PA make a median of $67,690 a year, or about $32.54 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.95), which stretches that salary to about $74,426 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,212/month, or 26.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $68K get you in Erie?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Erie’s Regional Price Parity (90.95). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Erie, PA
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $104K | +30% | 360 |
| New York | $104K | +29% | 6,780 |
| California | $102K | +27% | 18,310 |
| New Jersey | $98K | +22% | 3,200 |
| Washington | $97K | +21% | 1,850 |
| Massachusetts | $97K | +20% | 2,140 |
| Oregon | $96K | +19% | 1,410 |
| Hawaii | $95K | +18% | 310 |
| Alaska | $94K | +17% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $88K | +9% | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $87K | +9% | 410 |
| Maryland | $86K | +6% | 1,890 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | +4% | 390 |
| Rhode Island | $84K | +4% | 250 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +3% | 1,540 |
| Wisconsin | $82K | +2% | 1,940 |
| Georgia | $82K | +2% | 5,030 |
| Illinois | $81K | +1% | 5,450 |
| Montana | $81K | +1% | 390 |
| Florida | $80K | -1% | 8,840 |
| Virginia | $80K | -1% | 2,960 |
| Nevada | $80K | -1% | 1,420 |
| Maine | $79K | -1% | 450 |
| Arizona | $79K | -1% | 3,070 |
| Utah | $79K | -2% | 1,020 |
| Nebraska | $79K | -2% | 820 |
| Vermont | $79K | -2% | 230 |
| Ohio | $78K | -3% | 6,460 |
| Indiana | $78K | -3% | 3,330 |
| Texas | $78K | -4% | 11,860 |
| Michigan | $77K | -4% | 4,150 |
| North Carolina | $77K | -4% | 4,440 |
| North Dakota | $77K | -5% | 300 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | -5% | 5,850 |
| Oklahoma | $76K | -5% | 1,700 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -6% | 1,930 |
| Wyoming | $76K | -6% | 160 |
| Idaho | $76K | -6% | 820 |
| Missouri | $74K | -8% | 3,270 |
| Kansas | $74K | -9% | 1,260 |
| Louisiana | $70K | -13% | 2,280 |
| Iowa | $69K | -14% | 1,050 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -16% | 1,470 |
| New Mexico | $66K | -17% | 600 |
| West Virginia | $66K | -18% | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -18% | 2,860 |
| Tennessee | $65K | -19% | 3,070 |
| South Dakota | $65K | -20% | 380 |
| Alabama | $64K | -20% | 2,250 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -24% | 1,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Erie numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do respiratory therapists make in Erie, PA?
The median is $67,690 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,600, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $83,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Erie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,494/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,212/month, which eats 27% 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 Erie?
Erie has a Regional Price Parity of 90.95 (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 $74,426 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.