The median annual wage of respiratory therapists was $54,280 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,990, and the top 10 percent earned more than $73,410.
As shown in the tabulation below, the median annual wage for respiratory therapists varies between the industries they are employed in.
| Nursing care facilities | $57,450 |
| Home health care services | 55,960 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 54,210 |
| Offices of physicians | 52,500 |
Most respiratory therapists work full time. Because they may work in medical facilities such as hospitals that are always open, some work evening, night, or weekend hours.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition