Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA make a median of $65,070 a year, or about $31.29 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $74,742 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 24.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for respiratory therapists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $82K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Waterloo-Cedar Falls can be a reasonable trade-off for respiratory therapistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for respiratory therapists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $76K | $82K |
| Iowa City | $75K | $82K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $75K | $85K |
| Cedar Rapids | $67K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $24K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,393/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $65K here vs. $82K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $65,070 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,550, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $80,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,240/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 24.8% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $74,742 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.