Quick answer:Respiratory Therapists in North Carolina earn a median $80,090 per year, below the national median of $82,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 4,630 of them. Licensing runs through your state respiratory care board.
Respiratory Therapy Pay and Employment in North Carolina at a Glance
Metric
North Carolina
National
Source
Median annual wage
$80,090
$82,280
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$63,990
$63,660
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$68,010
$74,520
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$87,820
$98,730
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$99,520
$118,050
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
4,630
139,790
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.04
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
12.1%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How North Carolina Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The North Carolina median of $80,090 sits below the national median of $82,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.04 puts North Carolina slightly above the national average, so the occupation is a little more common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, so the local hospital and critical-care capacity is the market.
Respiratory Therapists Wages by Metro Area in North Carolina
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), respiratory therapists wages in North Carolina vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
1,110
$82,020
$85,480
$65,170
$100,450
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
710
$80,990
$86,650
$66,270
$102,100
Winston-Salem
530
$80,250
$81,530
$64,370
$99,380
Raleigh-Cary
430
$87,820
$85,910
$67,420
$108,150
Greensboro-High Point
290
$80,090
$81,240
$63,790
$93,440
Wilmington
200
$81,020
$79,910
$64,490
$95,830
Asheville
150
$81,550
$80,680
$66,620
$92,960
Greenville
150
$69,310
$77,100
$67,550
$84,770
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
130
$78,350
$87,370
$63,900
$125,590
Fayetteville
110
$80,650
$79,770
$64,950
$112,140
Rocky Mount
70
$73,830
$74,020
$53,300
$92,680
Burlington
40
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Jacksonville
40
$54,790
$60,350
$50,900
$76,200
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
All North Carolina Metro Areas With Published Data
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.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state respiratory care board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
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.
How We Rank Schools
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.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
How much do respiratory therapists make in North Carolina?
The median annual wage for respiratory therapists in North Carolina is $80,090, below the national median of $82,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $68,010 at the 25th percentile to $87,820 at the 75th.
How many respiratory therapists work in North Carolina?
North Carolina holds about 4,630 respiratory therapist jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 139,790, and BLS projects about 8,800 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a respiratory therapist in North Carolina?
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. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state respiratory care board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a CoARC-accredited associate degree online while working in North Carolina?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state respiratory care board.
What is the highest-paying area of North Carolina for respiratory therapists?
Among North Carolina metro areas with published data, Raleigh reports the highest median at $87,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is North Carolina a good state for respiratory therapists?
On pay, the state median of $80,090 sits below the national $82,280 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.04 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
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/.
