The rate of employment of respiratory therapists is projected to increase significantly over the next several years as the population ages and requires more respiratory care. According to the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, the employment rate in Montana is projected to increase 25% faster than that of the U.S. as a whole.
Montana’s projections indicate that the employment rate for respiratory therapists will increase by 23.8% between 2012 and 2022. The Montana Department of Labor & Industry projects that the number of respiratory therapists licensed in the state will increase from 370 in 2012 to 458 by 2022.
Based on these projections, fourteen jobs a year will become available on average. 64% of these jobs are expected to come from growth in the field with the remaining positions being created as respiratory therapists leave the workforce.
The average respiratory therapist salary in Montana was $51,800 in 2013. This is 88% of the mean national salary for respiratory therapists. Experienced respiratory therapists in Montana averaged $56,640 while the average entry-level salary was $42,110.
The Montana Department of Labor and Industry provides the average annual salaries of respiratory therapists in key industries that employ these professionals. They are shown below:
- Health and Personal Care Stores – $68,452
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals – $51,029
- Public Administration—Federal – $46,550
- Offices of Physicians – $37,258
According to the Commission on the Accreditation for Respiratory Care, 94.7% of 2012 graduates from Montana RT programs passed their exams to obtain the basic respiratory therapy certification. More than 85% of the 2012 graduates found jobs.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the 2103 Montana respiratory therapist salaries for regions within the state as shown below: