SOC 29-1126 · Fresno, CA metro

Respiratory Therapists Salary in Fresno, CA

The average salary for respiratory therapists in Fresno, California is $91,630 a year ($44.05 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $83,340: half of the 580 people in this job in the Fresno, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 5% more than the U.S. average for this job ($87,300).

$91,630average per year

$44.05 / hourMedian $83,340Take-home ≈ $68,862

  • $69K10th
  • $83K25th
  • $83KMedian
  • $105K75th
  • $109K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

580people in this job
+5%vs U.S. average
#19 of 20California metros
102cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Respiratory Therapists pay range in Fresno

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $68,720 a year or less, while the top 10% make $109,060 or more. The middle half of respiratory therapists in Fresno earn between $82,530 and $104,730.

  • $69K10th
  • $83K25th
  • $83KMedian
  • $105K75th
  • $109K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$91,630$7,636$44.05
Median$83,340$6,945$40.07
Entry level (25th percentile)$82,530$6,878$39.68
Experienced (75th percentile)$104,730$8,728$50.35

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Respiratory Therapists pay in Fresno vs. California and the U.S.

Respiratory therapists in Fresno earn 16% less than the California average ($109,440) and 5% more than the U.S. average ($87,300). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $82,280.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Fresno$91,630$83,340$68,720$109,060580
California$109,440$104,820$77,010$145,51018,650
United States$87,300$82,280$63,660$118,050139,790

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Respiratory Therapists salary after taxes in Fresno

On the average salary of $91,630, a single filer in Fresno takes home about $68,862 a year, or $5,739 a month and $2,649 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

California paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Fresno a good place for respiratory therapists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Fresno area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.2), so the average $91,630 buys what about $89,694 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Fresno ($46,910). A typical home costs $409,749, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $91,630 is worth in another city

Respiratory Therapists salary in other California cities

Fresno ranks 19th of 20 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($146,490).

All Respiratory Therapists salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for respiratory therapists

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($146,490).

Respiratory Therapists salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Respiratory Therapists in Fresno, CA.

Respiratory Therapists salary in Fresno: questions

How much do respiratory therapists make an hour in Fresno?

$44.05 an hour on average, and $40.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level respiratory therapists salary in Fresno?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $68,720 a year and the 25th percentile is $82,530, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the respiratory therapists take-home pay in Fresno?

About $68,862 a year ($5,739 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $91,630. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do respiratory therapists earn more in Fresno than elsewhere?

The average here is 5% more than the U.S. average for this job ($87,300).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1126; area Fresno, CA (23420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.36, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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