Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Rochester, MN make a median of $98,700 a year, or about $47.45 an hour. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.82), which stretches that salary to about $108,677 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $99K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (90.82). 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 Rochester
Rochester sits well above the national pay line for respiratory therapists, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $82K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.82 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Rochester offers a genuinely strong financial position for respiratory therapistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for respiratory therapists in metros near Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $101K | $96K |
| Duluth | $86K | $97K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $89K | $92K |
| Madison | $82K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, MN
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $32K 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 Rochester?
Yes — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,931/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in Rochester?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $99K here vs. $82K nationally.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Rochester pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $109K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Rochester, MN?
The median is $98,700 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,190, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $114,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,045/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 23.3% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 90.82 (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 $108,677 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.