Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Sacramento, CA: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Sacramento, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $134.4K, 63% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $111.5K to $138.5K.

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	CA	U.S.
25th	$111,480	$87,750	$74,520
Median	$134,430	$104,820	$82,280
75th	$138,460	$129,010	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

2.8

Metro employment

1,140

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

Sutter Valley Hospitals, 4 campuses
Bhc Heritage Oaks Hospital, 3 campuses
Community Birth Group, 3 campuses
Dignity Health, 3 campuses
Regents of the University of California, 3 campuses
Crestwood Behavioral Health, 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

Stockton, CA · 42 miles
Napa, CA · 49 miles
Vallejo, CA · 54 miles
Santa Rosa, CA · 67 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Sacramento.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Sacramento?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Sacramento, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Sutter Valley Hospitals, Bhc Heritage Oaks Hospital, Community Birth Group.

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

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the California board before you start in Sacramento.

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

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Sacramento has a deeper bench of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 28% over the California median.