Quick answer: Respiratory Therapists in the San Diego area earn a median $105,040 per year, above the national median of $82,280, and the metro employs about 1,430 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | San Diego metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $105,040 | $104,820 | $82,280 |
| 10th percentile | $82,140 | $77,010 | $63,660 |
| 25th percentile | $87,410 | $87,750 | $74,520 |
| 75th percentile | $125,840 | $129,010 | $98,730 |
| 90th percentile | $131,440 | $145,510 | $118,050 |
| Employment | 1,430 | 18,650 | 139,790 |
| Location quotient | 1.03 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan statistical area.
The San Diego median of $105,040 is above the national median of $82,280, and above the California statewide median of $104,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.03 means respiratory therapists are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, so the local hospital and critical-care capacity is the market.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $104,640 | 7,010 |
| Riverside | $100,480 | 2,200 |
| San Francisco | $130,220 | 2,010 |
| Sacramento | $134,430 | 1,140 |
| San Jose | $149,680 | 1,060 |
| Fresno | $83,340 | 580 |
| Bakersfield | $102,760 | 370 |
| Stockton | $102,050 | 350 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Respiratory therapy programs are accredited by CoARC, and credentialing runs through the NBRC: the CRT is the entry credential and the RRT the advanced one that most hospitals now expect. Licensure itself is issued by the state, and the credential it requires varies.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state respiratory care board.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for respiratory therapists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $105,040, above the national median of $82,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area employs about 1,430 respiratory therapists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Respiratory therapy programs are accredited by CoARC, and credentialing runs through the NBRC: the CRT is the entry credential and the RRT the advanced one that most hospitals now expect. Licensure itself is issued by the state, and the credential it requires varies. Confirm current requirements with your state respiratory care board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state respiratory care board.
The San Diego metro median is $105,040 against a statewide median of $104,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
