Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Knoxville, TN: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Knoxville, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $64.8K, 21% under the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $63.3K to $75.9K.

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	TN	U.S.
25th	$63,280	$63,660	$74,520
Median	$64,800	$72,140	$82,280
75th	$75,860	$78,640	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

3.1

Metro employment

460

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

University Health System, 3 campuses
East Tennessee Children's Hospital Association, 2 campuses
Parkwest Medical Center, 2 campuses
Baptist Hospital West, 1 campuses
Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee, 1 campuses
Bearden Pediatric Dentistry, 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

Asheville, NC · 83 miles
Kingsport, TN · 87 miles
Chattanooga, TN · 96 miles
Greenville, SC · 119 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Knoxville.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Knoxville?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Knoxville, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include University Health System, East Tennessee Children's Hospital Association, Parkwest Medical Center.

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

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the Tennessee board before you start in Knoxville.

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

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Knoxville has a deeper bench of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 10% under the Tennessee median.