Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Philadelphia, PA: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Philadelphia, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $88.8K, 8% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $75.5K to $97.0K.

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	PA	U.S.
25th	$75,520	$66,940	$74,520
Median	$88,790	$78,490	$82,280
75th	$97,000	$87,620	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

6.3

Metro employment

2,990

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

Main Line Hospitals, 5 campuses
Abington Memorial Hospital, 4 campuses
Inspira Medical Centers, 4 campuses
Union Hospital of Cecil County, 4 campuses
Cooper University Hospital, 3 campuses
Malvern Institute For Psychiatric and Alcoholic Studies, 3 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

Allentown, PA · 44 miles
Reading, PA · 48 miles
Atlantic City, NJ · 57 miles
Dover, DE · 62 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Philadelphia.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Philadelphia?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Philadelphia, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Main Line Hospitals, Abington Memorial Hospital, Inspira Medical Centers.

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

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the Pennsylvania board before you start in Philadelphia.

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

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Philadelphia has a deeper bench of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 13% over the Pennsylvania median.