Per diemPosted 3 days ago
Respiratory Care Practitioner – Sharp Grossmont Hospital – Day Shift – Per Diem
Sharp HealthCare · La Mesa, CA
$45.06–$58.16/ hour
New this week
Respiratory Therapist jobs in La Mesa, CA
Pay for respiratory therapists in the La Mesa area centers on $49.32 per hour, or about $102,590 a year. The lower quarter earns under $40.55 and the upper quarter over $58.65. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in La Mesa. That ranks 10th of 270 U.S. metro areas for respiratory therapist pay, and 22nd of 248 once local prices are factored in. The free report below lists employers near La Mesa and what they pay.
- $49.32median pay per hour, San Diego
- $41–$59typical range per hour
- 1,430respiratory therapists employed in the metro area
- 3open roles with published pay
Open Respiratory Therapist roles in La Mesa
PermanentPosted 3 days ago
Respiratory Care Practitioner - Sharp Grossmont Hospital - Day Shift - Full Time
Sharp HealthCare · La Mesa, CA
$40.97–$52.88/ hour
New this week
For youUpdated weekly
50+ more Respiratory Therapist roles for you in La Mesa, CA
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PermanentPosted 27 days ago
Respiratory Care Practitioner - Sharp Grossmont Hospital - Day Shift - Full Time
Sharp Healthcare · La Mesa, CA
$40.97–$52.88/ hour
Get the La Mesa Respiratory Therapist pay report
Named employers near La Mesa, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWho is hiring respiratory therapists near La Mesa
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp HealthCare | 2 | $49.27 |
| Sharp Healthcare | 1 | $46.92 |
Respiratory Therapist pay in La Mesa, CA
The metro median is in line with the California statewide median of $49.10 per hour. Nationally the median is $38.68 per hour. BLS counts about 1,430 respiratory therapists employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.06).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $37.56 | $78,120 | 3% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $40.55 | $84,340 | 5% above U.S. median |
| Median | $49.32 | $102,590 | 28% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $58.65 | $121,990 | 52% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $60.75 | $126,360 | 57% above U.S. median |
How La Mesa ranks
- 10th of 270 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 22nd of 248 after adjusting for local prices
- 9th of 16 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Respiratory Therapists (SOC 29-1126), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in La Mesa
- Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $49.32 median hour buys what $44.08 buys at the national price level, 14% above the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your La Mesa paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,776
- Per year: $88,776
- Per month: $7,398
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in La Mesa
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $205 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $2,037 |
| 13-week assignment | $26,481 |
Travel respiratory therapist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Hospitals in La Mesa
CMS lists 2 hospitals in La Mesa, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of respiratory therapists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA | Acute care | Government and federal | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health Syste La Mesa, CA | Psychiatric | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Respiratory Therapist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Cajon, CA | 4 mi | $49.32/hr | 103,291 |
| Santee, CA | 6 mi | $49.32/hr | 59,104 |
| Temecula, CA | 50 mi | $46.67/hr | 112,431 |
Respiratory Therapist jobs in California · Respiratory Therapist jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in California
RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in La Mesa
La Mesa city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do respiratory therapists make in La Mesa, CA?
Respiratory Therapists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $49.32 per hour, about $102,590 a year. The middle half earn between $40.55 and $58.65 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is La Mesa a good place for respiratory therapists once cost of living is counted?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 22nd of 248 metro areas for respiratory therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 10th of 270 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring respiratory therapists in La Mesa?
We list 3 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in La Mesa. Your free report adds named employers and pay near La Mesa.
Do I need a California license to work in La Mesa as a respiratory therapist?
RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in La Mesa?
The federal per diem benchmark in La Mesa is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place respiratory therapists in La Mesa?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in La Mesa and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near La Mesa.
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What do employers near La Mesa pay respiratory therapists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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230+ Respiratory Therapist roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your RT pay reportLa Mesa, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- Sharp HealthCareLa Mesa, CA · 5 postings$46.92/ hr$41–$58
- Sharp HealthcareLa Mesa, CA · 3 postings$46.92/ hr$41–$53
- El Camino HealthMountain View, CA · 2 postings$84.17/ hr$72–$96
- CommonSpirit HealthSacramento, CA · 8 postings$56.70/ hr$47–$71
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$33Median$46.92High$61
46 RT postings with published pay in California, 41 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 46 RT roles
- Respiratory Care Practitioner IIIPermanent$58.06–$67.60/ hour
- Respiratory Care PractitionerPermanent$48.74–$60.02/ hour
+ 44 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.