Respiratory Therapists Salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Respiratory Therapists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC make a median of $79,960 a year, or about $38.44 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $81,642 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month — about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $101K 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
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $104K | +30% | 360 |
| New York | $104K | +29% | 6,780 |
| California | $102K | +27% | 18,310 |
| New Jersey | $98K | +22% | 3,200 |
| Washington | $97K | +21% | 1,850 |
| Massachusetts | $97K | +20% | 2,140 |
| Oregon | $96K | +19% | 1,410 |
| Hawaii | $95K | +18% | 310 |
| Alaska | $94K | +17% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $88K | +9% | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $87K | +9% | 410 |
| Maryland | $86K | +6% | 1,890 |
| New Hampshire | $84K | +4% | 390 |
| Rhode Island | $84K | +4% | 250 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +3% | 1,540 |
| Wisconsin | $82K | +2% | 1,940 |
| Georgia | $82K | +2% | 5,030 |
| Illinois | $81K | +1% | 5,450 |
| Montana | $81K | +1% | 390 |
| Florida | $80K | -1% | 8,840 |
| Virginia | $80K | -1% | 2,960 |
| Nevada | $80K | -1% | 1,420 |
| Maine | $79K | -1% | 450 |
| Arizona | $79K | -1% | 3,070 |
| Utah | $79K | -2% | 1,020 |
| Nebraska | $79K | -2% | 820 |
| Vermont | $79K | -2% | 230 |
| Ohio | $78K | -3% | 6,460 |
| Indiana | $78K | -3% | 3,330 |
| Texas | $78K | -4% | 11,860 |
| Michigan | $77K | -4% | 4,150 |
| North Carolina | $77K | -4% | 4,440 |
| North Dakota | $77K | -5% | 300 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | -5% | 5,850 |
| Oklahoma | $76K | -5% | 1,700 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -6% | 1,930 |
| Wyoming | $76K | -6% | 160 |
| Idaho | $76K | -6% | 820 |
| Missouri | $74K | -8% | 3,270 |
| Kansas | $74K | -9% | 1,260 |
| Louisiana | $70K | -13% | 2,280 |
| Iowa | $69K | -14% | 1,050 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -16% | 1,470 |
| New Mexico | $66K | -17% | 600 |
| West Virginia | $66K | -18% | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -18% | 2,860 |
| Tennessee | $65K | -19% | 3,070 |
| South Dakota | $65K | -20% | 380 |
| Alabama | $64K | -20% | 2,250 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -24% | 1,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track respiratory therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do respiratory therapists make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $79,960 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,390, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $100,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,046/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 33.9% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $81,642 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.