Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in State College, PA make a median of $73,690 a year, or about $35.43 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.76), that's roughly $76,158 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,406/month, or 28.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in State College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by State College’s Regional Price Parity (96.76). 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 State College
Respiratory therapists pay in State College tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,406/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for respiratory therapists in metros near State College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $89K | $87K |
| Pittsburgh | $75K | $80K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $80K | $80K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $79K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, State College, PA
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $18K 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 states
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when State College numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in State College?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 29.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,406/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in State College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,684/month. At HUD’s $1,406/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 State College?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does State College compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
State College pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — below the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in State College, PA?
The median is $73,690 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,400, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $79,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in State College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,830/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,406/month, which eats 29.1% 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 State College?
State College has a Regional Price Parity of 96.76 (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 $76,158 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.