Respiratory Therapist salary

Respiratory Therapist H-1B salary overview

Employers filed 21 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Respiratory Therapist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 29-1126, Respiratory Therapists). The median base salary is $71,491, 42% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $67,226 and $85,400.

Pay by level

What a Respiratory Therapist does

Assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. Assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care modalities, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Initiate and conduct therapeutic procedures; maintain patient records; and select, assemble, check, and operate equipment.

Typical tasks

• Set up and operate devices, such as mechanical ventilators, therapeutic gas administration apparatus, environmental control systems, or aerosol generators, following specified parameters of treatment.
• Monitor patient's physiological responses to therapy, such as vital signs, arterial blood gases, or blood chemistry changes, and consult with physician if adverse reactions occur.
• Read prescription, measure arterial blood gases, and review patient information to assess patient condition.
• Relay blood analysis results to a physician.
• Provide emergency care, such as artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, or assistance with cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Enforce safety rules and ensure careful adherence to physicians' orders.

Preparation

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

O*NET occupation: Respiratory Therapists (29-1126.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers

Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Respiratory Therapists), the median annual wage was $82,280 in May 2025, with 139,790 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $71,491, 13% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.

Salary details

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