Respiratory Therapists pay range in Athens
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,500 or more. The middle half of respiratory therapists in Athens earn between $73,080 and $90,180.
- $66K10th
- $73K25th
- $82KMedian
- $90K75th
- $100K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $82,590 | $6,882 | $39.71 |
| Median | $81,730 | $6,811 | $39.29 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $73,080 | $6,090 | $35.13 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $90,180 | $7,515 | $43.36 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Respiratory Therapists salary after taxes in Athens
On the average salary of $82,590, a single filer in Athens takes home about $63,559 a year, or $5,297 a month and $2,445 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Athens a good place for respiratory therapists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Athens area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.3), so the average $82,590 buys what about $88,480 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Athens ($41,220). A typical home costs $373,118, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Respiratory Therapists salary in other Georgia cities
Athens ranks 4th of 10 Georgia metro areas for this job; Atlanta pays the most ($94,720).
Highest-paying cities for respiratory therapists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($146,490).
- San Jose, CA$146,490
- Santa Cruz, CA$133,510
- Vallejo, CA$133,510
- San Francisco, CA$128,490
- Sacramento, CA$124,410
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Respiratory Therapists salary in Athens: questions
How much do respiratory therapists make an hour in Athens?
$39.71 an hour on average, and $39.29 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level respiratory therapists salary in Athens?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $73,080, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the respiratory therapists take-home pay in Athens?
About $63,559 a year ($5,297 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $82,590.
Do respiratory therapists earn more in Athens than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($88,829).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1126; area Athens-Clarke County, GA (12020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.10, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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