Washington Respiratory Therapist Salaries

The field of respiratory therapy is growing throughout the country. Employment projections from the Washington Employment Security Department show the number of respiratory therapist positions in the state will increase 10% faster than the national average, with a 21% increase in the number of new RT jobs expected between 2012 and 2022. The projected growth rates for respiratory therapists in several Washington counties are shown below:

  • Pierce County – 20.2%
  • Seattle-King County – 22.6%
  • Snohomish County – 24.8%

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The Employment Security Department also provides a detailed breakdown of 2013 respiratory therapist salaries in the state. The median respiratory therapist salary in Washington was $64,376. Respiratory therapists in the 25th percentile made $55,765 while those in the 75th percentile earned $72,842.

Respiratory therapist salaries varied quite a bit in different metropolitan areas as shown below:

Washington City
25th Percentile
75th Percentile
Bellingham
$60446
$80434
Kennewick
$53102
$66685
Seattle
$59384
$77251
Tacoma
$53310
$66747

2013 salary information for areas outside of these metropolitan areas is also available:

Balance of State
25th Percentile
75th Percentile
Central
$49462
$61152
East
$60486
$72509
Southwest
$63336
$73424

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicated that the nonmetropolitan area of Eastern Washington was the fifth top paying such area in the country.

Washington Employment Security Department employment estimates indicated that 1,844 respiratory therapists were employed in Washington in 2012. Slightly more than half of these professionals were located in the following counties:

  • Seattle-King County – 614
  • Pierce County – 233
  • Snohomish County – 121

The Commission on the Accreditation for Respiratory Care indicated that 86.1% of 2013 graduates from Washington’s five accredited respiratory therapist training programs found jobs. 94.2% of them passed the exam to obtain an entry-level CRT credential.

The BLS provides an additional breakdown of Washington respiratory therapist salaries by city in the following table:

Area Name
Employment
Annual Median Salary
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland WA
40
59670
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett WA Metropolitan Division
720
68570
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WA
950
66070
Tacoma WA Metropolitan Division
230
59250
Yakima WA
40
60230
Southwestern Washington nonmetropolitan area
40
65590
Central Washington nonmetropolitan area
30
58160
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area
Estimate Not Released
67620