Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Louisiana make a median of $75,240 a year, or about $36.17 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $86,205 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 24.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
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What $75K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Respiratory therapists pay in Louisiana tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $77K | +2% | 230 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $77K | +2% | 620 |
| Lafayette | $76K | +1% | 290 |
| Hammond | $76K | +1% | 80 |
| Monroe | $76K | +1% | 90 |
| Baton Rouge | $74K | -1% | 320 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $74K | -2% | 280 |
| Lake Charles | $74K | -2% | 60 |
| Alexandria | $71K | -5% | 110 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $62K | -17% | 120 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,120/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Louisiana pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Louisiana?
The median is $75,240 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,520, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $91,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,892/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 24.3% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $86,205 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.