Respiratory Therapist Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$104,820
$50.40/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$94,671
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($82,280): +$22,540 (+27.4%)
California ranks 3rd of 51 states by median pay, and 7th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $77,010 | $37.02 |
| 25th percentile | $87,750 | $42.19 |
| Median | $104,820 | $50.40 |
| 75th percentile | $129,010 | $62.03 |
| 90th percentile | $145,510 | $69.96 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 18,650
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Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $104,820
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $82,280
- Difference
- +$22,540 (+27.4%)
Cost of living
$104,820 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $94,671
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | ||
| 1st | $111,950 | $101,864 1st |
| New York | ||
| 2nd | $107,810 | $99,897 3rd |
| California This page | ||
| 3rd | $104,820 | $94,671 7th |
| Massachusetts | ||
| 4th | $102,170 | $96,608 5th |
| Washington | ||
| 5th | $101,130 | $94,503 8th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Cardiovascular Technologist and Technician salary in California
$78,170/year California
- Paramedic salary in California
$74,590/year California
- Registered Nurse salary in California
$140,270/year California
- Radiation Therapist salary in California
$166,450/year California
- Physical Therapist salary in California
$124,190/year California
- Occupational Therapy Assistant salary in California
$81,770/year California
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +8.5%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- Associate's degree
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
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Respiratory Therapist salary in nearby places
- Respiratory Therapist salary in Arizona
$79,780/year Arizona
- Respiratory Therapist salary in Nevada
$85,480/year Nevada
- Respiratory Therapist salary in Oregon
$100,560/year Oregon
- Respiratory Therapist salary in the U.S.
$82,280/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
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