Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Oklahoma make a median of $78,800 a year, or about $37.88 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.46), which stretches that salary to about $90,098 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,081/month, or 20.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oklahoma. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $79K get you in Oklahoma?
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What this looks like in Oklahoma
Respiratory therapists pay in Oklahoma tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,081/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.46 (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, Oklahoma
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Oklahoma
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $81K | +3% | 950 |
| Tulsa | $80K | +2% | 540 |
| Enid | $77K | -2% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oklahoma numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,081/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Oklahoma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,863/month. At HUD’s $1,081/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Oklahoma?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Oklahoma compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Oklahoma pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Oklahoma?
The median is $78,800 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,380, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $95,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Oklahoma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,047/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,081/month, which eats 21.4% 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 Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a Regional Price Parity of 87.46 (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 $90,098 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.