Respiratory therapists

Detailed Occupation

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2020 Workforce

115k

Average Age

Estimated Job Growth

19.3%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$61,931

Average Male Salary

$71,946

Average Female Salary

$56,746

About

Respiratory therapists are most often employed by the General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals industry. The average yearly wage for Respiratory therapists was $61,931 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Respiratory therapists by wage are Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, Logisticians, and Editors.

Respiratory therapists are part of the Healthcare practitioners & technical occupations, along with Chiropractors, Dentists, Dietitians & nutritionists, Optometrists, Pharmacists, and 37 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Respiratory therapists are Rancho Cucamonga City PUMA, CA, Easley & Clemson Cities PUMA, SC, and Oklahoma City (West) PUMA, OK. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Respiratory therapists are Campbell, Claiborne, Scott, Morgan & Hancock Counties PUMA, TN, Huntington City PUMA, WV, and Colton, Loma Linda & Grand Terrace Cities PUMA, CA.

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Healthcare practitioners & technical occupations

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Respiratory therapists and on wages and locations for those in the field. General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals is the industry that employs the most Respiratory therapists, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Respiratory therapists, by average wage, is Residential care facilities, except skilled nursing facilities. Respiratory therapists are paid most in Easley & Clemson Cities PUMA, SC but are relatively concentrated in Campbell, Claiborne, Scott, Morgan & Hancock Counties PUMA, TN.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$61,931

AVERAGE SALARY

± $3,051

In 2020, Respiratory therapists earned an average of $61,931, $5,977 more than than the average national salary of $55,954.

Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys make somewhat more than Respiratory therapists while Logisticians make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Respiratory therapists as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.257

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Respiratory therapists had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.257, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Respiratory therapists (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Respiratory therapists.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Respiratory therapists

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Respiratory therapists.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Respiratory therapists, by number of employees, are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals, Nursing Care Facilities, Offices of physicians, Outpatient care centers, Home health care services, Other health care services, Health & personal care, except drug, stores , Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, Other consumer goods rental, Residential care facilities, except skilled nursing facilities, and Pharmacies & drug stores.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Respiratory therapists, by average wage, are Residential care facilities, except skilled nursing facilities, Outpatient care centers, and Professional & commercial equipment & supplies merchant wholesalers.

Industries by Share

115k

2020 Workforce

± 8,333

3.84%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 9.94%

The number of people employed as Respiratory therapists has been growing at a rate of 3.84%, from 111,028 people in 2019 to 115,287 people in 2020.

This graphic shows the share of Respiratory therapists employed by various industries. General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals employs the largest share of Respiratory therapists at 88%, followed by Nursing Care Facilities with 1.87% and Offices of physicians with 1.71%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Respiratory therapists in the US. The average age of male Respiratory therapists in the workforce is 45.8 and of female Respiratory therapists is 43.1, and the most common race/ethnicity for Respiratory therapists is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

39.3k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 4,868

76k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 6,765

65.9% of Respiratory therapists are Female, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Respiratory therapists.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Respiratory therapists

White (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)
Asian (Non-Hispanic)

66.3% of Respiratory therapists are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 13.2% of Respiratory therapists, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Respiratory therapists.

Age by Sex

45.8

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.54

43.1

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.08

The median age of Respiratory therapists is 44, and Male employees are generally 2.68 years older than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Respiratory therapists from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Respiratory therapists is Health but a relatively high number of Respiratory therapists hold a major in Health.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Respiratory therapists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Respiratory therapists need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Monitoring. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Respiratory therapists need more than the average amount of Science, Equipment Selection, and Repairing.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Projections

Projections on job growth for Respiratory Therapists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Respiratory Therapists are expected to see a growth of 19.3% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow more than the national average.

Job Growth

19.3%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Respiratory Therapists. This profession is expected to grow more than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.