Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Jefferson City, MO make a median of $77,500 a year, or about $37.26 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.97), which stretches that salary to about $88,098 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $910/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Jefferson City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jefferson City’s Regional Price Parity (87.97). 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 Jefferson City
Respiratory therapists pay in Jefferson City tracks closely to the national median, $78K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $910/month, 18.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 Jefferson City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $79K | $83K |
| Kansas City | $79K | $86K |
| Springfield | $72K | $82K |
| Joplin | $66K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jefferson City, MO
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $29K 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 states
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Jefferson City numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Jefferson City?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 18.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $910/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Jefferson City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,684/month. At HUD’s $910/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Jefferson City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $78K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Jefferson City compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Jefferson City pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Jefferson City, MO?
The median is $77,500 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,400, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $90,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Jefferson City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,000/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $910/month, which eats 18.2% 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 Jefferson City?
Jefferson City has a Regional Price Parity of 87.97 (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 $88,098 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.