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

In San Diego, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $105.0K, 28% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $87.4K to $125.8K.

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	$87,410	$87,750	$74,520
Median	$105,040	$104,820	$82,280
75th	$125,840	$129,010	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

2.8

Metro employment

1,430

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

Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, 8 campuses
Bh-sdopco, 2 campuses
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, 2 campuses
Palomar Health, 2 campuses
Regents of the University of California, 2 campuses
Scripps 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

Riverside, CA · 79 miles
Los Angeles, CA · 111 miles
Oxnard, CA · 153 miles
Yuma, AZ · 153 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in San Diego.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in San Diego?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in San Diego, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, Bh-sdopco, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals.

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 San Diego.

What should a hospital in San Diego weigh when hiring an RT?

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. San Diego has about as many of these workers as a typical metro. This metro is within 3 percent of the California median.