Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ make a median of $79,760 a year, or about $38.34 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $77,197 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,839/month, about 34.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About respiratory therapists
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What this looks like in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Respiratory therapists pay in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,839/month, which is 35.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for respiratory therapists in metros near Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tucson | $78K | $81K |
| Yuma | $74K | $79K |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $82K | $87K |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $86K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Respiratory Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $112K | +36% | 430 |
| New York | $108K | +31% | 7,010 |
| California | $105K | +27% | 18,650 |
| Massachusetts | $102K | +24% | 2,220 |
| Washington | $101K | +23% | 1,860 |
| New Jersey | $101K | +23% | 3,350 |
| Oregon | $101K | +22% | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $99K | +20% | 1,250 |
| Alaska | $98K | +19% | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $96K | +17% | 360 |
| Hawaii | $94K | +14% | 510 |
| Delaware | $91K | +11% | 500 |
| Maryland | $89K | +8% | 1,800 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | +6% | 260 |
| Colorado | $86K | +5% | 2,110 |
| Nevada | $85K | +4% | 1,270 |
| Connecticut | $85K | +4% | 1,370 |
| Wisconsin | $84K | +2% | 1,940 |
| Illinois | $84K | +2% | 4,880 |
| Vermont | $84K | +2% | 210 |
| Georgia | $84K | +2% | 5,150 |
| Virginia | $83K | +1% | 3,340 |
| Maine | $82K | +0% | 520 |
| Nebraska | $82K | -1% | 840 |
| North Dakota | $81K | -1% | 270 |
| Montana | $81K | -1% | 390 |
| Florida | $81K | -1% | 8,820 |
| Utah | $81K | -2% | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $80K | -3% | 4,630 |
| Ohio | $80K | -3% | 6,640 |
| Michigan | $80K | -3% | 4,520 |
| Arizona | $80K | -3% | 3,500 |
| Indiana | $80K | -3% | 3,170 |
| Texas | $80K | -3% | 12,130 |
| Wyoming | $79K | -4% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $79K | -4% | 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | -5% | 6,530 |
| Idaho | $78K | -5% | 820 |
| Missouri | $78K | -5% | 3,030 |
| South Carolina | $78K | -6% | 1,960 |
| Kansas | $77K | -6% | 1,450 |
| Louisiana | $75K | -9% | 2,520 |
| Iowa | $75K | -9% | 910 |
| Arkansas | $74K | -10% | 1,400 |
| Kentucky | $73K | -12% | 2,530 |
| Tennessee | $72K | -12% | 3,440 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -16% | 840 |
| West Virginia | $69K | -17% | 1,140 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -17% | 430 |
| Alabama | $66K | -20% | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $63K | -23% | 1,670 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
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Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 35.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,839/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,884/month. At HUD’s $1,839/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median is $79,760 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,740, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $100,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,209/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,839/month, which eats 35.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a respiratory therapists salary go in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median respiratory therapists salary is worth about $77,197 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.