Respiratory Therapist Jobs in St. Louis, MO: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Saint Louis, the May 2025 median for respiratory therapists is about $79.2K, 4% under the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $67.3K to $83.6K.

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	MO	U.S.
25th	$67,270	$64,800	$74,520
Median	$79,210	$78,390	$82,280
75th	$83,560	$83,030	$98,730

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

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

2.8

Metro employment

1,260

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

Barnes Jewish Hospital, 4 campuses
Ssm Health Care St. Louis, 4 campuses
Ssm Select Rehab St Louis, 3 campuses
Christian Hospital Northeast- Northwest, 2 campuses
Protestant Memorial Medical Center, 2 campuses
Ssm Select Rehab St. Louis, 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

Springfield, IL · 86 miles
Cape Girardeau, MO · 99 miles
Jefferson City, MO · 104 miles
Columbia, MO · 114 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Respiratory Therapist in St. Louis.

Respiratory Therapists hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires respiratory therapists in Saint Louis?

Hospitals hire respiratory therapists in Saint Louis, along with home medical equipment companies. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Barnes Jewish Hospital, Ssm Health Care Saint Louis, Ssm Select Rehab St Louis.

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

Almost every state licenses respiratory therapists. Check the Missouri board before you start in Saint Louis.

What should a hospital in Saint Louis weigh when hiring an RT?

Ask about the RRT and ICU experience. Saint Louis has about as many of these workers as a typical metro. This metro is within 3 percent of the Missouri median.