Florida Respiratory Therapist Salaries

There are 7,470 respiratory therapists (RTs) employed in Florida, the third most among all of the U.S. states. The profession is under the jurisdiction of the Florida Board of Respiratory Care which licenses, monitors, educates and, when necessary disciplines RTs to ensure that they meet minimum standards for safe practice.

According to the 2010 Census, at 17.3 percent, Florida has the highest percentage of any state of persons over 65 years of age. Not only is it known that cardiopulmonary problems increase with age but seniors are more likely to have once been heavy smokers since they were raised before the public was made aware of the serious lung problems associated with the habit. Many RTs are involved in organizing and teaching smoking cessation programs.

Florida respiratory theraspists statewide earn an annual mean salary of $53,380. Earnings differ according to location and education. Applicants who want to get ahead should aim to receive an RRT credential and advance their educations as much as possible.

Salary differences between CRTs and RRTs in fifteen Florida cities are:

Florida City
CRT Salary
Boca Raton
$54548
Cape Coral
$50887
Daytona Beach
$51603
Fort Lauderdale
$54548
Fort Myers
$50587
Gainesville
$51326
Hialeah
$53849
Jacksonville
$52731
Miami
$53849
Orlando
$53820
Pensacola
$50316
Saratoga
$52400
Tallahassee
$51180
Tampa
$53792
West Palm Beach
$54057

The difference between the highest (Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale) and lowest (Pensacola) RRT salaries is only $4,600.

The table below provides 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) salary information for respiratory therapists in Florida.

Area Name
Employment
Annual Median Salary
Cape Coral-Fort Myers FL
190
53750
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin FL
50
46930
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach FL
210
49390
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach FL Metropolitan Division
870
53960
Gainesville FL
250
43430
Jacksonville FL
580
52950
Lakeland-Winter Haven FL
200
50120
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach FL
2710
53310
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall FL Metropolitan Division
1340
51830
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota FL
240
55550
Ocala FL
80
52420
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford FL
840
55510
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville FL
180
53960
Panama City-Lynn Haven-Panama City Beach FL
60
51950
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent FL
180
50740
Port St. Lucie FL
80
52700
Sebastian-Vero Beach FL
Estimate Not Released
54090
Tallahassee FL
90
50070
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater FL
1020
53300
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach FL Metropolitan Division
500
54780
Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan area
80
47800
Northeast Florida nonmetropolitan area
100
47140
South Florida nonmetropolitan area
90
51720