Respiratory Therapist Jobs in Salem, OR: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Salem, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $104.4K, 27% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $101.3K to $122.2K.

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	OR	U.S.
25th	$101,260	$85,310	$74,520
Median	$104,360	$100,560	$82,280
75th	$122,190	$104,360	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

7.1

Metro employment

130

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

Silverton Health, 2 campuses
California Autism Initiative, 1 campuses
Dhs/office of Financial Services Irs/eopc/bmrc/eotc/osh/osh-p, 1 campuses
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, 1 campuses
Salem Health, 1 campuses
Salem Hospital, 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

Portland, OR · 46 miles
Eugene, OR · 60 miles
Medford, OR · 179 miles
Seattle, WA · 189 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Salem.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

Upload your resume, see your match score, and let local employers find you

Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Salem?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Salem, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Silverton Health, California Autism Initiative, Dhs/office of Financial Services Irs/eopc/bmrc/eotc/osh/osh-p.

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

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the Oregon board before you start in Salem.

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

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Salem has roughly a fifth fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 4% over the Oregon median.