SOC 29-1126 · Dubuque, IA metro

Respiratory Therapists Salary in Dubuque, IA

The average salary for respiratory therapists in Dubuque, Iowa is $70,610 a year ($33.95 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $74,190: half of the 40 people in this job in the Dubuque, IA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 21% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($88,829).

$70,610average per year

$33.95 / hourMedian $74,190Take-home ≈ $56,433

  • $64K10th
  • $66K25th
  • $74KMedian
  • $74K75th
  • $78K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

40people in this job
-21%vs U.S. metro average
#4 of 7Iowa metros
87cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Respiratory Therapists pay range in Dubuque

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,260 a year or less, while the top 10% make $78,040 or more. The middle half of respiratory therapists in Dubuque earn between $66,030 and $74,190.

  • $64K10th
  • $66K25th
  • $74KMedian
  • $74K75th
  • $78K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$70,610$5,884$33.95
Median$74,190$6,182$35.67
Entry level (25th percentile)$66,030$5,502$31.75
Experienced (75th percentile)$74,190$6,182$35.67

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Respiratory Therapists salary after taxes in Dubuque

On the average salary of $70,610, a single filer in Dubuque takes home about $56,433 a year, or $4,703 a month and $2,170 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Advertisement

Is Dubuque a good place for respiratory therapists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Dubuque area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.3), so the average $70,610 buys what about $80,856 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Dubuque ($48,750). A typical home costs $279,463, or 4.0 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $70,610 is worth in another city

Respiratory Therapists salary in other Iowa cities

Dubuque ranks 4th of 7 Iowa metro areas for this job; Iowa City pays the most ($76,700).

All Respiratory Therapists salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for respiratory therapists

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($146,490).

Respiratory Therapists salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Respiratory Therapists in Dubuque, IA.

Respiratory Therapists salary in Dubuque: questions

How much do respiratory therapists make an hour in Dubuque?

$33.95 an hour on average, and $35.67 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level respiratory therapists salary in Dubuque?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $64,260 a year and the 25th percentile is $66,030, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the respiratory therapists take-home pay in Dubuque?

About $56,433 a year ($4,703 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $70,610. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do respiratory therapists earn more in Dubuque than elsewhere?

The average here is 21% 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 Dubuque, IA (20220). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.7%.
  • 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). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.77, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.77).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.