Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT make a median of $78,980 a year, or about $37.97 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.87), that's roughly $78,299 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,241/month, or 23.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Salt Lake City-Murray?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salt Lake City-Murray’s Regional Price Parity (100.87). 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 Salt Lake City-Murray
Respiratory therapists pay in Salt Lake City-Murray 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 $1,241/month, 24.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.87) 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 Salt Lake City-Murray, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Ogden | $82K | $82K |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $79K | $80K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $84K | , |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $80K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $70K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salt Lake City-Murray?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 24.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,241/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Salt Lake City-Murray?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,246/month. At HUD’s $1,241/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Salt Lake City-Murray compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Salt Lake City-Murray pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT?
The median is $78,980 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,440, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $107,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Salt Lake City-Murray?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,023/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,241/month, which eats 24.7% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Salt Lake City-Murray has a Regional Price Parity of 100.87 (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 $78,299 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.