Respiratory Therapists Salary
Respiratory Therapists in West Virginia make a median of $68,670 a year, or about $33.01 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $77,131 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,008/month, or 22.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across West Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $69K actually covers in West Virginia, month by month
About respiratory therapists
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for respiratory therapists in West Virginia runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $82K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,008/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, West Virginia can be a reasonable trade-off for respiratory therapists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, West Virginia
Entry-level respiratory therapists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Respiratory Therapists salary by metro in West Virginia
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weirton-Steubenville | $74K | +8% | 60 |
| Charleston | $69K | +0% | 220 |
| Beckley | $68K | -2% | 60 |
| Huntington-Ashland | $66K | -4% | 270 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a respiratory therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for respiratory therapists in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new respiratory therapists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,561/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is respiratory therapist a high-paying job in West Virginia?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $69K here vs. $82K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for respiratory therapists?
West Virginia pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $82K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do respiratory therapists make in West Virginia?
The median is $68,670 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,940, and experienced respiratory therapists can clear $94,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,506/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 22.4% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $77,131 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.