Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Nebraska make a median of $81,590 a year, or about $39.22 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $90,605 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,113/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nebraska. Jump to a metro for precise data:
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What $82K actually covers in Nebraska, month by month
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What this looks like in Nebraska
Respiratory therapists pay in Nebraska tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,113/month, 21.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Nebraska
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Nebraska
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | $82K | +0% | 150 |
| Omaha | $81K | -0% | 460 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Nebraska 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 Nebraska?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 21.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Nebraska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,239/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Nebraska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Nebraska compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Nebraska pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Nebraska?
The median is $81,590 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,100, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $96,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Nebraska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,179/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 21.5% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $90,605 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.