According to the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, & Regulation (DLLR) 3,234 respiratory therapists were employed in Maryland in 2012. The demand for respiratory therapists in Maryland is projected to increase faster than the national average. The DLLR projects a 21.4% increase in respiratory therapy jobs between 2012 and 2022.
They projected that 693 jobs will become available during this time frame. Almost one third of them are expected to come from new positions that become available. The rest are projected to come from the replacement of respiratory therapists who leave the work force.
DLLR data indicated that the average 2014 respiratory therapist salary in Maryland was $64,202. Entry-level respiratory therapists averaged $50,734, while those with experience made $79,936 a year.
The entry-level salaries for Maryland’s respiratory therapists vary a great deal depending on their location. For instance, those in Prince George’s County made 61% of Maryland’s average. A range of 2014 respiratory therapist salaries are shown for regions throughout Maryland:
The DLLR also provides predictions of the number of jobs expected to become available in Maryland areas from 2010 to 2020:
- Baltimore city – 104
- Frederick County – 73
- Montgomery County – 205
- Prince George’s County – 67
The Baltimore area had the ninth highest level of respiratory therapy employment of any metropolitan area in the country in 2013 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Maryland’s respiratory therapy graduates generally find jobs. According to the Commission on the Accreditation for Respiratory Care, over 81% of these 2012 graduates found jobs.
The BLS provides 2013 respiratory therapy salary data for Maryland cities. It is shown in the table below: