The median respiratory therapist salary in New York is $107,810 per year, or $51.83 per hour, according to 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wage data. In New Jersey, respiratory therapists earn a median of $100,810 annually, or $48.47 per hour. These figures provide useful benchmarks for evaluating compensation in 2026, but individual job offers may differ.
Flagstar Rehab is a therapy staffing and recruiting agency connecting respiratory therapists with healthcare employers. This guide compares New York and New Jersey wages, explains regional salary differences, and covers experience, travel assignments, licensing, and questions to consider before accepting a position.
What Is the Respiratory Therapist Salary in New York and New Jersey?
Respiratory therapists in both New York and New Jersey have statewide median wages above the national benchmark. New York’s median is higher in the latest available comparable data, although salaries vary across employers and locations.
New York vs. New Jersey: Median Hourly and Annual Pay
The following figures come from the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, presented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET service.
| Location | Median hourly wage | Median annual wage |
| New York State | $51.83 | $107,810 |
| New Jersey | $48.47 | $100,810 |
| United States | $39.56 | $82,280 |
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor O*NET, using 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data: New York respiratory therapist wages and New Jersey respiratory therapist wages.
The New York statewide median annual wage is $7,000 higher than New Jersey’s. Both exceed the national median. Compared with the national median of $82,280, New York’s median annual respiratory therapist wage is $25,530 higher, while New Jersey’s is $18,530 higher. That places the statewide medians approximately 31% and 23% above the national benchmark, respectively. These differences describe reported occupational wages, not guaranteed earnings or differences in purchasing power.
However, that difference does not mean every respiratory therapist in New York earns more than every therapist in New Jersey. These figures describe occupational wage distributions rather than individual job offers.
The source year matters, too. This is a 2026 salary guide using 2025 wage estimates, not a claim that the wages were measured in October 2026.
Is the Average Respiratory Therapist Salary the Same as the Median?
Not exactly.
An average, or arithmetic mean, adds the reported wages and divides the total by the number of observations. The median is the midpoint of the wage distribution, with half of workers above and half below that point.
Salary websites sometimes use “average salary” as a general description without specifying which measure they report.
For the tables in this guide, the figures are medians, not arithmetic means. This consistent measure makes the New York, New Jersey, and national comparisons easier to interpret.
How Do Respiratory Therapist Salaries Vary Across NY and NJ Cities?
Location is an important part of researching respiratory therapist salaries, but geographic data needs careful interpretation.
New York City, New York State, and the New York–Newark–Jersey City metropolitan area are not the same geographic unit.
Official BLS metropolitan wage estimates can help illustrate regional differences, although they do not establish the salary offered by a particular hospital.
New York City Area vs. Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany
The following metropolitan wage estimates use the same 2025 BLS data series.
| Metropolitan area | Median annual RT wage |
| New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ | $110,490 |
| Binghamton, NY | $103,200 |
| Buffalo–Cheektowaga, NY | $86,720 |
| Syracuse, NY | $85,860 |
| Albany–Schenectady–Troy, NY | $85,250 |
| Rochester, NY | $82,990 |
Source: O*NET New York respiratory therapist wage data.
The New York–Newark–Jersey City metropolitan median is higher than the listed Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, and Rochester metropolitan medians.
But the $110,490 figure includes a cross-state metropolitan labor market, not just employers within New York City’s five boroughs.
Similarly, the Syracuse figure represents the Syracuse metropolitan area rather than every position within the city’s municipal limits.
For someone considering respiratory therapist jobs in NYC or Syracuse, these benchmarks provide context. The actual offer, worksite, commute, benefits, and schedule still matter.
New Jersey Metro Areas and Cross-State Labor Markets
New Jersey also has meaningful differences between metropolitan labor markets.
| Metropolitan area | Median annual RT wage |
| Atlantic City–Hammonton, NJ | $104,350 |
| Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA–NJ–DE–MD | $88,790 |
| Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ | $79,960 |
Source: O*NET New Jersey respiratory therapist wage data.
The Philadelphia and Allentown metropolitan regions extend beyond New Jersey. Their wage estimates therefore represent broader cross-state labor markets rather than New Jersey employees alone.
When comparing jobs in northern New Jersey and New York City, candidates should also avoid treating the regional median as evidence of identical pay on both sides of the state line.
A higher nominal salary may be attractive, but location, commuting expenses, benefits, taxes, and personal living costs can change the overall value of an opportunity.
What Do Respiratory Therapist Salary Percentiles Tell You?
The statewide median is only one point in the wage distribution.
Respiratory therapists earn different amounts within each state, and BLS percentile data provides a wider view of reported compensation.
New York and New Jersey Wage Percentiles
| Annual wage percentile | New York | New Jersey |
| 10th percentile | $81,270 | $78,000 |
| 25th percentile | $95,690 | $87,560 |
| 50th percentile — median | $107,810 | $100,810 |
| 75th percentile | $126,880 | $106,320 |
| 90th percentile | $131,500 | $123,370 |
Sources: New York wage percentiles and New Jersey wage percentiles, based on 2025 BLS data.
The 10th percentile means approximately 10% of workers earn at or below that amount. At the 90th percentile, approximately 90% earn at or below that figure.
These are points in the wage distribution. They are not minimum or maximum salaries, guaranteed starting rates, or pay bands tied to specific years of employment.
Does Experience Determine an RT’s Wage Percentile?
Experience may influence an offer, but wage percentiles do not reveal how many years each worker has practiced.
A respiratory therapist with specialized experience might qualify for positions with different responsibilities or pay structures. Another therapist’s compensation may reflect shift requirements, employer policies, location, or other job-specific conditions.
The data does not establish that a new graduate earns the 10th-percentile wage or that a therapist with ten years of experience earns at the 90th percentile.
Candidates should compare the requirements and compensation of actual positions rather than use percentiles as fixed career-stage salary estimates.
What Factors Affect Respiratory Therapist Pay in NY and NJ?
Two respiratory therapist jobs in the same state can offer different wages. The position’s responsibilities, work setting, schedule, and employment conditions all deserve attention.
Experience, Credentials, and Employer Requirements
Employers may look for particular experience, certifications, or competencies depending on the respiratory therapy position.
A role involving specialized responsibilities may have requirements that differ from another RT job. However, a credential does not automatically produce the same salary increase at every employer.
Candidates should confirm whether an advertised position requires a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential, applicable state licensure, or other job-specific qualifications.
They should also review whether those qualifications are mandatory or preferred and how the employer determines compensation.
Hospitals, Work Schedules, and Location
Hospitals are an important employment setting for respiratory therapists, but not every hospital position has the same pay structure.
Factors worth comparing include:
- Schedule: Day, evening, overnight, weekend, or rotating shifts.
- Employment status: Full-time, part-time, temporary, or contract work.
- Work setting: Hospital departments, outpatient services, or other employer settings.
- Responsibilities: Duties, experience requirements, and relevant competencies.
- Benefits: Insurance, retirement contributions, paid leave, and other employment terms.
- Geography: Job location, commuting arrangements, and local labor-market conditions.
Shift differentials and overtime may affect compensation when offered, but candidates should not assume a particular premium without reviewing the job terms.
A statewide median cannot tell you exactly how much an individual hospital will pay.
For readers comparing respiratory therapy with another healthcare profession, Flagstar Rehab also has a separate respiratory therapist versus registered nurse salary comparison. That broader career comparison is distinct from the regional RT wage figures covered here.
How Does Travel Respiratory Therapist Pay Compare With Regular Salaries?
Travel respiratory therapy assignments may advertise compensation by the week rather than as an annual salary.
These figures can be useful when reviewing available jobs, but they should not be directly treated as equivalent to regular occupational wage estimates.
Understanding Weekly Travel RT Rates
Travel staffing marketplaces such as Vivian’s New York travel respiratory therapist salary guide publish weekly compensation summaries based on sampled assignments.
Those figures reflect the platform’s listed jobs and reporting period rather than all respiratory therapist employment in New York State.
When considering an assignment, review the guaranteed hours, expected shifts, contract duration, compensation components, benefits, and possible housing or travel arrangements.
Not every advertised weekly amount represents the same type of compensation package.
Why Weekly Travel Pay Should Not Be Annualized Automatically
Multiplying an advertised travel rate by 52 weeks can give a misleading impression of expected annual earnings.
An assignment may last only a defined number of weeks. There may be time between assignments, and benefits or stipends may depend on eligibility and contract conditions.
A candidate should also consider cancellation terms, expenses, and whether the compensation quoted reflects gross pay or a broader package.
A travel assignment may be attractive for some job seekers, but its financial value depends on the actual agreement, not simply a high advertised weekly figure.
What Licenses Do Respiratory Therapists Need in NY and NJ?
Respiratory therapists considering jobs across state lines should check the professional authorization required for each location.
National respiratory therapy credentials and state licenses serve different purposes. Possessing one does not automatically establish eligibility to practice in another state.
New York Respiratory Therapist Licensing
The New York State Education Department’s Office of the Professions regulates respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians.
New York states that use of either professional title requires licensure. Applicants must satisfy applicable education, examination, and other licensing requirements.
Candidates should verify the current rules and their individual eligibility before planning employment in New York.
New Jersey Licensing and NBRC Certification
New Jersey respiratory care professionals are regulated by the New Jersey State Board of Respiratory Care.
The Board explains in its licensing FAQs that NBRC certification does not itself constitute a New Jersey respiratory care license.
A respiratory therapist licensed in New York should not assume that the license automatically authorizes practice in New Jersey. The reverse also requires checking the applicable New York rules.
Before accepting a position, confirm the state requirements, license status, and job-specific credentials with the relevant licensing authority and employer.
How Should Respiratory Therapists Compare Job Offers?
Official salary benchmarks can help establish expectations, but the terms of an individual offer ultimately determine what a candidate is being offered.
A job with a higher advertised hourly wage may have fewer scheduled hours or different benefits than another position. Candidates should evaluate the whole arrangement.
Respiratory Therapist Job-Offer Checklist
Before accepting an opportunity, review:
- Base pay: Hourly wage, annual salary, or weekly assignment amount.
- Hours: Expected schedule and whether hours are guaranteed.
- Additional compensation: Overtime, shift differentials, or other applicable payments.
- Employment arrangement: Permanent, temporary, part-time, or contract.
- Benefits: Health insurance, paid leave, retirement, and other terms.
- Location: Worksite, commute, and travel expectations.
- Qualifications: State license, professional credentials, and relevant experience.
- Contract terms: Start and end dates, cancellation provisions, and renewal conditions.
- Travel compensation: Stipend eligibility and expenses, if applicable.
Ask the employer or recruiter to clarify unclear terms before comparing two offers.
The relevant question is not simply which job advertises the highest number, but which opportunity offers the compensation and conditions that fit your circumstances.
Exploring Respiratory Therapist Opportunities
After comparing salary benchmarks, respiratory therapists can review positions that match their qualifications, preferred location, and employment goals.
Flagstar Rehab recruits respiratory therapy professionals for healthcare employers and describes full-time, part-time, temporary, and contract staffing arrangements through its respiratory therapist recruiting services.
Individual job availability, pay rates, and benefits must be confirmed for the specific opportunity. Statewide salary statistics should never be presented as Flagstar Rehab offers.
Conclusion
The median annual respiratory therapist wage is $107,810 in New York and $100,810 in New Jersey, based on 2025 BLS estimates. Metropolitan differences, wage percentiles, work schedules, benefits, and employment arrangements all provide additional context. Candidates should use these benchmarks to evaluate specific job offers rather than assume a statewide figure represents every position.
Flagstar Rehab is a therapy staffing and recruiting agency that connects respiratory therapists with prospective healthcare employment opportunities. Candidates comparing positions in New York and New Jersey can explore respiratory therapist staffing and recruiting opportunities with Flagstar Rehab to learn about its services and discuss their career preferences.
FAQs
How much does a respiratory therapist make in New York per hour?
The median hourly wage for respiratory therapists in New York State is $51.83, according to 2025 BLS estimates published through O*NET. This is a statewide occupational benchmark, not an individual job offer or a New York City-specific salary.
Do respiratory therapists earn more in NYC than Syracuse?
The 2025 median annual wage is $110,490 in the New York–Newark–Jersey City metropolitan area, compared with $85,860 in the Syracuse metropolitan area. The first region includes parts of New Jersey, so it should not be interpreted as a New York City-only figure. Individual offers may differ from both medians.
Can a respiratory therapist licensed in New York work in New Jersey?
A New York respiratory therapist license does not automatically establish eligibility to practice in New Jersey. Candidates must verify the applicable New Jersey licensing requirements and obtain any necessary authorization. NBRC certification alone is not a substitute for New Jersey licensure.
Are travel respiratory therapist salaries higher than permanent salaries?
Some travel assignments advertise substantial weekly pay, but that does not establish that travel work always produces higher total earnings. Contract length, guaranteed hours, benefits, stipend eligibility, expenses, and time between assignments can change the comparison. Review the complete offer before deciding.