+$22,540 (+27.4%) versus the national median
| Metro area | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $149,680 | $71.96 | 1,060 |
| Vallejo, CA | $136,200 | $65.48 | 190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $134,880 | $64.85 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $134,430 | $64.63 | 1,140 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,220 | $62.61 | 2,010 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $123,220 | $59.24 | 200 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $112,430 | $54.06 | 90 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $108,600 | $52.21 | 130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $105,040 | $50.50 | 1,430 |
| Napa, CA | $104,670 | $50.32 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $104,640 | $50.31 | 7,010 |
| Modesto, CA | $103,870 | $49.94 | 270 |
| Redding, CA | $103,830 | $49.92 | 90 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $102,760 | $49.40 | 370 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $102,250 | $49.16 | 310 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $102,050 | $49.06 | 350 |
| Merced, CA | $101,810 | $48.95 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $100,480 | $48.31 | 2,200 |
| Fresno, CA | $83,340 | $40.07 | 580 |
| Visalia, CA | $82,030 | $39.44 | 120 |
— = estimate missing or suppressed by BLS; # = suppressed for insufficient reporting units; * = estimate not comparable.
In California, the OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Respiratory Therapists was $104,820, compared with $82,280 nationally. The median hourly wage was $50.40 in California and $39.56 in the United States. OEWS employment was 18,650 in California and 139,790 nationwide for this occupation. The California median was 27.4 percent higher than the national median.
Figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 release. A wage shown as $239,200 or More means the estimate falls in BLS's highest, open-ended wage interval and is a lower bound, not a maximum. In tables, — means the estimate is missing or suppressed by BLS; # means suppressed because of insufficient reporting units; * means the estimate is not comparable.
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