Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Texas make a median of $79,540 a year, or about $38.24 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $86,938 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 25.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Texas?
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What this looks like in Texas
Respiratory therapists pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $82K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in Texas
21 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $84K | +6% | 3,010 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $83K | +4% | 770 |
| Amarillo | $80K | +1% | 120 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $80K | +1% | 3,630 |
| Texarkana | $79K | -1% | 110 |
| Longview | $79K | -1% | 90 |
| Corpus Christi | $78K | -2% | 210 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $78K | -2% | 950 |
| Midland | $77K | -3% | 60 |
| Tyler | $77K | -3% | 250 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $77K | -4% | 130 |
| Lubbock | $77K | -4% | 220 |
| San Angelo | $76K | -4% | 80 |
| Victoria | $76K | -4% | 70 |
| El Paso | $75K | -5% | 310 |
| Waco | $75K | -5% | 100 |
| Killeen-Temple | $74K | -6% | 260 |
| Sherman-Denison | $74K | -8% | 60 |
| Abilene | $71K | -10% | 80 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $67K | -16% | 110 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $65K | -18% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 21 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 26.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,679/month. At HUD’s $1,415/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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $82K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Texas pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Texas?
The median is $79,540 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,310, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $99,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,362/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 26.4% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $86,938 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.