Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Indiana make a median of $79,730 a year, or about $38.33 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $86,842 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 21.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $80K actually covers in Indiana, month by month
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What this looks like in Indiana
Respiratory therapists pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Indiana
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City-La Porte | $83K | +4% | 50 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $82K | +2% | 1,230 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $80K | +1% | 110 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $79K | -0% | 110 |
| Evansville | $79K | -1% | 170 |
| Bloomington | $78K | -2% | 90 |
| Fort Wayne | $77K | -3% | 210 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Indiana 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 Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,211/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Indiana pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Indiana?
The median is $79,730 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,730, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $94,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,170/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 22.1% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $86,842 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.