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

In Raleigh, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $87.8K, 7% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $72.1K to $92.1K.

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	$72,120	$68,010	$74,520
Median	$87,820	$80,090	$82,280
75th	$92,080	$87,820	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

6.3

Metro employment

430

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

Holly Hill Hospital, 2 campuses
Citizens Senior Living, 1 campuses
Dorothea Dix Hospital, 1 campuses
Duke University, 1 campuses
Duke University Health System, 1 campuses
Duke University 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

Rocky Mount, NC · 48 miles
Fayetteville, NC · 55 miles
Greensboro, NC · 69 miles
Greenville, NC · 73 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Raleigh.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Raleigh?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Raleigh, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Holly Hill Hospital, Citizens Senior Living, Dorothea Dix Hospital.

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 Raleigh.

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

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Raleigh has about a third fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 10% over the North Carolina median.