The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training reported a total employment of 350 respiratory therapists, as of May 2013. During this period, respiratory therapists earned an average, entry-level salary of $24.86; a median salary of $30.15 per hour; and an experienced salary of $33.48 per hour. The median salary for Rhode Island is significantly higher than the national average of $27.06 per hour.
During the same period, the Department of Labor and Training reported the following, median salaries for respiratory therapists for the following metropolitan areas:
- Providence-Fall-River-Warwick: $29.73 per hour
- Norwich-New London: $37.09 per hour
The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training’s publication, Jobs Requiring College Degrees, reported that the respiratory therapist profession is expected to increase to 482 positions, as of 2018, an increase of 74 positions since 2008. This profession is expected to increase by approximately 13 positions each year in Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training’s publication, 2020 Occupational Outlook for Rhode Island, reported that a number of occupational groups are expected to be among the fastest growing groups. The occupational group, Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Positions (Respiratory therapists are included in this category.), is among these groups, growing an estimated 15.8 percent by 2020, significantly higher than the national growth rate of 10.7 percent.
Healthcare establishments in Rhode Island totaled 2,495 in 2011. These establishments employed nearly 67,000 workers and paid nearly $3 billion in wages, thereby accounting for more than 17 percent of the state’s private sector employment.