Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Hawaii make a median of $94,210 a year, or about $45.3 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $85,513 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 37.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $94K get you in Hawaii?
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Hawaii sits well above the national pay line for respiratory therapists, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $82K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 39.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Hawaii
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | $94K | +0% | 440 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 39.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,808/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Hawaii?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $94K here vs. $82K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Hawaii pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Hawaii?
The median is $94,210 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,130, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $102,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,652/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 39.6% 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 Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (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 $85,513 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.