Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Chicago, IL: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Chicago, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $87.1K, 6% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $81.1K to $96.8K.

Pay

The median is the middle of respiratory therapists already employed, not a starting wage. The 25th is the lower quarter of that group. The 75th is what the upper quarter already earns.

Percentile	Metro	IL	U.S.
25th	$81,080	$77,440	$74,520
Median	$87,060	$84,090	$82,280
75th	$96,830	$96,260	$98,730

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

4.6

Metro employment

3,620

National growth, 2025 to 2035

8.5%

National openings a year

8.6 thousand

This is the same score as the free check.

Who's hiring

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 8 campuses
Hines VA Hospital, 7 campuses
Advocate Health and Hospitals, 6 campuses
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, 6 campuses
Ingalls Memorial Hospital, 5 campuses
Loyola University Medical Center, 5 campuses

Campuses on file in the provider extract, not live job ads.

License and training

Every state except Alaska licenses respiratory therapists. Most employers want the NBRC's CRT or RRT credential. Confirm your state board's rules before you hire or start.

Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, respiratory therapists

The work

You see your assigned patients, check each ventilator, give treatments, and adjust settings with the physician and the nurse. Codes and rapid responses can interrupt that plan at any hour.

Night shifts are common in hospital work, and weekends rotate. You also teach patients and families how to use oxygen and other equipment at home.

Nearby metros

Michigan City, IN · 43 miles
Kankakee, IL · 52 miles
Kenosha, WI · 53 miles
Racine, WI · 62 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Chicago.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Chicago?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Chicago, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Hines VA Hospital, Advocate Health and Hospitals.

Do I need a license to work as an RT in Illinois?

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the Illinois board before you start in Chicago.

What should a hospital in Chicago weigh when hiring an RT?

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Chicago has slightly fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 4% over the Illinois median.