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

In Santa Cruz, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $134.9K, 64% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $100.0K to $161.3K.

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	$100,040	$87,750	$74,520
Median	$134,880	$104,820	$82,280
75th	$161,250	$129,010	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

3.1

Metro employment

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

Cruz'n Anesthesia Associates, 1 campuses
Dignity Health, 1 campuses
Hastings Chiropractic, 1 campuses
Pajaro Valley Veterinary Hospital, 1 campuses
Sjbh, 1 campuses
Sutter Bay Hospitals, 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

San Jose, CA · 25 miles
San Francisco, CA · 59 miles
Modesto, CA · 73 miles
Vallejo, CA · 79 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in Santa Cruz.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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

Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Santa Cruz?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Santa Cruz, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Cruz'n Anesthesia Associates, Dignity Health, Hastings Chiropractic.

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 Santa Cruz.

What should a hospital in Santa Cruz weigh when hiring an RT?

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Santa Cruz has roughly a fifth fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 29% over the California median.