Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Hickory, NC: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Hickory, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $78.4K, 5% under the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $70.2K to $98.2K.

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	NC	U.S.
25th	$70,240	$68,010	$74,520
Median	$78,350	$80,090	$82,280
75th	$98,170	$87,820	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

6.5

Metro employment

130

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

Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, 3 campuses
Frye Regional Medical Center, 2 campuses
Alliance Imaging, 1 campuses
Broughton Hospital, 1 campuses
Caldwell Memorial Hospital, 1 campuses
Catawba Valley Medical Center, 1 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

Charlotte, NC · 46 miles
Winston-Salem, NC · 64 miles
Spartanburg, SC · 65 miles
Asheville, NC · 70 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Hickory.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Hickory?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Hickory, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, Frye Regional Medical Center, Alliance Imaging.

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

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the North Carolina board before you start in Hickory.

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

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Hickory has slightly fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is within 3 percent of the North Carolina median.