CA · Madera · Updated October 15, 2026

Respiratory Therapist jobs in Madera, CA

Pay for respiratory therapists in the Madera area centers on $40.70 per hour, or about $84,650 a year. The lower quarter earns under $38.17 and the upper quarter over $49.25. That ranks 39th of 270 U.S. metro areas for respiratory therapist pay, and 105th of 248 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Madera. The free report below lists employers near Madera and what they pay.

Respiratory Therapist pay in Madera, CA

The metro median is 17% below the California statewide median of $49.10 per hour. Nationally the median is $38.68 per hour. BLS counts about 580 respiratory therapists employed in the Fresno metro area, 1.2 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.40).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$31.78$66,10018% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$38.17$79,3901% below U.S. median
Median$40.70$84,6505% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$49.25$102,44027% above U.S. median
Top 10%$61.33$127,57059% above U.S. median

How Madera ranks

  • 39th of 270 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 105th of 248 after adjusting for local prices
  • 16th 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 Madera

  • Overall prices in Fresno run 2% above the U.S. average (index 102.2, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 4% below the U.S. average (index 95.7).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $40.70 median hour buys what $39.84 buys at the national price level, 3% 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.

Get the Madera Respiratory Therapist pay report

Named employers near Madera, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

Get my free pay report

Estimate your Madera paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,465
  • Per year: $73,260
  • Per month: $6,105

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Fresno metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Madera

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$135
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,505
13-week assignment$19,565

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).

Open Respiratory Therapist roles in California

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Madera as they open.

All Respiratory Therapist jobs in California

Hospitals in Madera

CMS lists 3 hospitals in Madera. Hospitals are a major employer of respiratory therapists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Madera Community Hospital
Madera, CA
Acute careNonprofitNot ratedYes
Valley Children's Hospital
Madera, CA
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
River Vista Behavioral Health
Madera, CA
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Respiratory Therapist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Fresno, CA21 mi$40.70/hr550,105
Clovis, CA24 mi$40.70/hr127,993
Merced, CA32 mi$47.19/hr96,073
Hanford, CA50 mi$49.10/hr60,594
Turlock, CA57 mi$49.91/hr72,888
Visalia, CA61 mi$49.10/hr146,271

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.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in Madera

Madera city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do respiratory therapists make in Madera, CA?

Respiratory Therapists in the Fresno metro area have a median pay of $40.70 per hour, about $84,650 a year. The middle half earn between $38.17 and $49.25 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Madera a good place for respiratory therapists once cost of living is counted?

Fresno ranks 105th of 248 metro areas for respiratory therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 39th of 270 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% above the U.S. average.

Where do respiratory therapists work in Madera?

CMS lists 3 hospitals in Madera, led by Madera Community Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a California license to work in Madera 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 Madera?

The federal per diem benchmark in Madera is $135 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,505 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place respiratory therapists in Madera?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Madera and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Madera.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Madera 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.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

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.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · RT near Madera, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RT pay reportMadera, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • El Camino HealthMountain View, CA · 2 postings$84.17/ hr$72–$96
  • CommonSpirit HealthSACRAMENTO, CA · 8 postings$56.70/ hr$47–$71
  • Sharp HealthCareLa Mesa, CA · 5 postings$46.92/ hr$41–$58
  • Sharp HealthcareLa Mesa, CA · 3 postings$46.92/ hr$41–$53

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

  1. Respiratory Care Practitioner IIIPermanent
    $58.06–$67.60/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Sacramento, CA · posted today
  2. Respiratory Care PractitionerPermanent
    $48.74–$60.02/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Northridge, CA · posted today

+ 44 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay