Respiratory Therapist.
Wilmington.
$79,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$67,000 to $95,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Wilmington is 2% more expensive than the national average. For Respiratory Therapists, that shakes out to a median of $79,000, with the full range spanning $67,000 to $95,000. Shift differentials for nights, weekends, and holidays contribute significantly to total earnings. Know the range before you walk in. 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 Wilmington, 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 $88,790 for Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126) in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan area, based on 2,990 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$67,730
25th percentile
$75,520
Median
$88,790
75th percentile
$97,000
90th percentile
$103,640
Workers surveyed
2,990
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 Wilmington range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such. Wilmington is reported by BLS within the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan area.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1126Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $71,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$51,000
to $63,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$67,000
to $83,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$87,000
to $103,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$99,000
to $122,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $23,000 to the total package.
Base
$79,000
Equity
$13,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $102,000
How Wilmington compares.
Wilmington, DE
$79,000
Cost of living: 2% above average
National Average
$80,000
Wilmington is $1,000 below
Respiratory Therapist salary by city.
Salary by role in Wilmington.
What you should know.
Here is what the Respiratory Therapist market actually looks like in Wilmington. Wilmington is a corporate law and financial services hub, home to most U.S. credit card companies thanks to Delaware's favorable incorporation laws. The city's compact size belies its outsized role in banking, legal services, and corporate governance. Chemical and pharmaceutical companies also maintain a strong presence. 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 Wilmington, 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: delaware has a top income tax rate of 6.6% but no state sales tax. Wilmington has a city wage tax of 1.25%. The no sales tax benefit partially offsets the income tax burden. When someone quotes you $79,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage Delaware's corporate density. Banks and legal firms here pay competitively to retain talent that might otherwise commute to Philadelphia or New York. The range for Respiratory Therapists in Wilmington runs from $67,000 to $95,000. 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
Considering a related role?
- A Radiologic Technologist in Wilmington earns $78,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Wilmington is CTO at $318,000
Common questions.
Respiratory Therapist salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Wilmington.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Respiratory Therapist Salary in Wilmington, DE." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/respiratory-therapist/wilmington
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