Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Florence, SC make a median of $78,550 a year, or about $37.77 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.77), which stretches that salary to about $90,527 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,098/month, or 21.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Florence?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Florence’s Regional Price Parity (86.77). 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 Florence
Respiratory therapists pay in Florence tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,098/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Florence, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $78K | $84K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $79K | $79K |
| Columbia | $80K | $85K |
| Spartanburg | $68K | $74K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florence, SC
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $20K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florence?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,098/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Florence?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,822/month. At HUD’s $1,098/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Florence?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Florence compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Florence pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Florence, SC?
The median is $78,550 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,700, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $83,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Florence?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,021/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,098/month, which eats 21.9% 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 Florence?
Florence has a Regional Price Parity of 86.77 (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 $90,527 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.