Respiratory Therapists pay range in Houston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $57,180 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,690 or more. The middle half of respiratory therapists in Houston earn between $66,910 and $96,820.
- $57K10th
- $67K25th
- $80KMedian
- $97K75th
- $100K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $81,170 | $6,764 | $39.02 |
| Median | $80,450 | $6,704 | $38.68 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $66,910 | $5,576 | $32.17 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $96,820 | $8,068 | $46.55 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Respiratory Therapists salary after taxes in Houston
On the average salary of $81,170, a single filer in Houston takes home about $65,933 a year, or $5,494 a month and $2,536 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Houston a good place for respiratory therapists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Houston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.6), so the average $81,170 buys what about $82,298 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Houston ($49,410). A typical home costs $308,306, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Respiratory Therapists salary in other Texas cities
Houston ranks 4th of 21 Texas metro areas for this job; Longview pays the most ($87,010).
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 Houston: questions
How much do respiratory therapists make an hour in Houston?
$39.02 an hour on average, and $38.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level respiratory therapists salary in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $57,180 a year and the 25th percentile is $66,910, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the respiratory therapists take-home pay in Houston?
About $65,933 a year ($5,494 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $81,170. Texas has no state income tax.
Do respiratory therapists earn more in Houston than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (26420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.23, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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