Respiratory Therapist.
Little Rock.
$68,000
median salary, 15% below the national average
$57,000 to $81,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Respiratory Therapist offer in Little Rock, AR, here is the reality: $57,000 to $81,000, with $68,000 as the midpoint. 15% below the national average. Shift differentials for nights, weekends, and holidays contribute significantly to total earnings. Do not accept the first number. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Respiratory Therapist in Little Rock, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $75,300 for Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126) in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metropolitan area, based on 530 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$61,630
25th percentile
$63,120
Median
$75,300
75th percentile
$78,300
90th percentile
$96,470
Workers surveyed
530
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126) rather than Respiratory Therapist specifically. The Little Rock range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1126Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $61,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$44,000
to $54,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$58,000
to $71,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$75,000
to $88,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$85,000
to $105,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $19,000 to the total package.
Base
$68,000
Equity
$11,000
Bonus
$7,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $87,000
How Little Rock compares.
Little Rock, AR
$68,000
Cost of living: 18% below average
National Average
$80,000
Little Rock is $12,000 below
Respiratory Therapist salary by city.
Salary by role in Little Rock.
What you should know.
The Respiratory Therapist landscape in Little Rock is not what most salary sites will tell you. Little Rock's economy is driven by Walmart's nearby headquarters ecosystem, state government, healthcare, and logistics. The metro's extremely low cost of living means even moderate salaries deliver strong purchasing power. Tech jobs are growing as companies seek affordable alternatives to major metros. Shift differentials for nights, weekends, and holidays contribute significantly to total earnings. RTs working in ICU or neonatal units earn more than those in general floor care. The RRT credential is expected for most positions, and additional certifications in pulmonary function or transport add incremental pay.
Entry-level RTs earn $52,000 to $58,000 with the RRT credential. Experienced RTs in critical care reach $65,000 to $75,000 after five to seven years. Lead RTs or department supervisors can earn $78,000 to $92,000 with management responsibilities included. In Little Rock, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 18% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Respiratory therapists receive shift differentials of $3 to $8 per hour, overtime opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. Some hospitals offer certification bonuses and tuition reimbursement for advanced degrees or specialty credentials. And on the tax side: arkansas has a top income tax rate of 4.4%. Little Rock has no city income tax. The combination of low taxes and very affordable housing creates one of the best net pay environments in the country. When someone quotes you $68,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference the Walmart and Tyson ecosystem when negotiating. Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock employers benchmark against national corporate pay scales. The range for Respiratory Therapists in Little Rock runs from $57,000 to $81,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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- A Logistics Coordinator in Little Rock earns $69,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in Little Rock is CTO at $253,000
Common questions.
Respiratory Therapist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Little Rock.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Respiratory Therapist Salary in Little Rock, AR." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/respiratory-therapist/little-rock
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