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

In Nashville, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $78.7K, 4% under the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $72.1K to $83.7K.

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	$72,140	$63,660	$74,520
Median	$78,700	$72,140	$82,280
75th	$83,660	$78,640	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

2.8

Metro employment

1,070

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

Cedar Recovery Center of Middle Tennessee, 4 campuses
HCA Health Services of Tennessee, 4 campuses
Frank T Rutherford Memorial Hospital, 2 campuses
Hendersonville Hospital, 2 campuses
Rolling Hills Hospital, 2 campuses
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2 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

Clarksville, TN · 41 miles
Bowling Green, KY · 59 miles
Huntsville, AL · 102 miles
Chattanooga, TN · 115 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Nashville.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Nashville?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Nashville, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Cedar Recovery Center of Middle Tennessee, HCA Health Services of Tennessee, Frank T Rutherford Memorial Hospital.

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 Nashville.

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

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Nashville has a deeper bench of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 9% over the Tennessee median.