Respiratory Therapist.
New Orleans.
$76,000
median salary, 5% below the national average
$64,000 to $91,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
A Respiratory Therapist in New Orleans earns a median of $76,000 in 2026. That is 5% below the national average. The range runs from $64,000 to $91,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Shift differentials for nights, weekends, and holidays contribute significantly to total earnings. 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 New Orleans, 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 $76,590 for Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126) in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, based on 620 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$63,230
25th percentile
$64,560
Median
$76,590
75th percentile
$79,710
90th percentile
$93,250
Workers surveyed
620
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 New Orleans 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 $69,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$49,000
to $61,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$65,000
to $80,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$84,000
to $99,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$95,000
to $118,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.
Base
$76,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $98,000
How New Orleans compares.
New Orleans, LA
$76,000
Cost of living: 8% below average
National Average
$80,000
New Orleans is $4,000 below
Respiratory Therapist salary by city.
Salary by role in New Orleans.
What you should know.
Here is what the Respiratory Therapist market actually looks like in New Orleans. New Orleans has a distinctive economy shaped by energy, port operations, tourism, and a growing digital media sector. The city's creative and cultural industries are unique employment drivers. Post hurricane rebuilding has created ongoing demand in construction, engineering, and resilience planning roles. 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 New Orleans, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
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: louisiana's top income tax rate is 4.25%. New Orleans has no city income tax. The moderate state rate and affordable living costs yield good take home pay. When someone quotes you $76,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight energy sector or resilience engineering experience. New Orleans employers pay premiums for professionals who understand the region's unique environmental and infrastructure challenges. The range for Respiratory Therapists in New Orleans runs from $64,000 to $91,000. 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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- An Urban Planner in New Orleans earns $75,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
Respiratory Therapist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in New Orleans.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Respiratory Therapist Salary in New Orleans, LA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/respiratory-therapist/new-orleans
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