Respiratory Therapist Salary in California (2026)
California respiratory therapists earn a mean of $109,440/yr (BLS OEWS May 2025), 25% above the national mean of $87,300.
Mean: $109,440Median: $104,820Hourly: $52.62/hrEmployed: 18,650
California vs National Average
California Mean$109,440
National Mean$87,300
Percentile range in California: $77,010 (10th) to $145,510 (90th).
Cost of Living Context
California has a cost of living index of 138 (national baseline: 100). The COL-adjusted salary equivalent is approximately $79,300, representing the purchasing power of this salary in a hypothetical average-cost US market. The high cost of living reduces the effective value of the above-average nominal salary.
California Metro Area Breakdown
BLS OEWS May 2025 mean annual wages by metropolitan statistical area.
#1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
$146,490#2Vallejo-Fairfield
$133,510#3San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward
$128,490#4Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
$124,410#5Santa Rosa-Petaluma
$120,450#6San Diego-Carlsbad
$105,750#7Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
$102,570Top RT Employers in California
Kaiser Permanente
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
UCLA Health
Stanford Health Care
UCSF Medical Center
Sutter Health
California Licensure Requirements
- Licensing Board
- California Department of Consumer Affairs - Respiratory Care Board
- Initial Fee
- $325 initial application
- CE Hours Required
- 30 hours per 2-year renewal
- Renewal Cycle
- Every 2 years
All California applicants must hold an NBRC credential (CRT or RRT) and provide proof of completion of a CoARC-accredited programme. Background check required.
Frequently Asked Questions: California
How much do entry-level RTs earn in California?
New graduate RTs in California typically earn $77,000 to $87,000 in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, compared to $68,000 to $75,000 in the Central Valley and inland areas. California has the highest RT starting salaries in the nation, partly due to mandatory nurse-to-patient ratio legislation that drives up all clinical staffing wages.
Which California metro pays RTs the most?
The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area leads California and the nation at $146,490 mean annual (BLS OEWS May 2025), followed by Vallejo-Fairfield at $133,510 and San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward at $128,490. The top Bay Area metros pay 17 to 34 percent above the California state mean.
Does California require the RRT credential?
California does not require the RRT at the state level to obtain a Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) licence, but the vast majority of California hospital systems and medical centres now require or strongly prefer the RRT for all new hires. Community college entry-level positions may still accept CRT.
Are California RTs in a union?
Many California hospital RTs are represented by SEIU-UHW (Service Employees International Union). Union contracts at Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health, and county hospitals typically include above-average shift differentials, automatic step increases, and strong retirement benefits. Union representation is more common in Northern California than Southern California.