Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Kentucky make a median of $72,750 a year, or about $34.98 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $80,627 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 23.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $73K actually covers in Kentucky, month by month
About respiratory therapists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for respiratory therapists in Kentucky runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $82K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 23.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for respiratory therapistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Kentucky
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $80K | +10% | 430 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $77K | +5% | 840 |
| Paducah | $76K | +5% | 80 |
| Elizabethtown | $74K | +2% | 40 |
| Bowling Green | $68K | -6% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 23.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,881/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $73K here vs. $82K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Kentucky pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — below the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Kentucky?
The median is $72,750 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,330, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $92,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,721/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 23.5% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $80,627 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.