Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Michigan make a median of $79,850 a year, or about $38.39 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $85,046 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Michigan?
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What this looks like in Michigan
Respiratory therapists pay in Michigan 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 $1,272/month, 25% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Michigan
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Michigan
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek | $81K | +2% | 60 |
| Monroe | $81K | +2% | 30 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $81K | +1% | 1,910 |
| Ann Arbor | $80K | +0% | 390 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $79K | -2% | 160 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $78K | -2% | 690 |
| Flint | $78K | -3% | 150 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $76K | -5% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 25% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,886/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Michigan pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Michigan?
The median is $79,850 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,770, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $90,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,097/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 25% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $85,046 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.