PermanentPosted 7 days ago
Registered Respiratory Therapist
Veterans Health Administration · Kings, NY
$73k–$127k/ year
Top 25% payNew this week
Respiratory Therapist jobs in Buffalo, NY
Pay for respiratory therapists in the Buffalo area centers on $40.23 per hour, or about $83,680 a year. The lower quarter earns under $36.42 and the upper quarter over $44.72. That ranks 41st of 270 U.S. metro areas for respiratory therapist pay, and 45th of 248 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 7 hospitals in Buffalo. The free report below lists employers near Buffalo and what they pay.
- $40.23median pay per hour, Buffalo
- $36–$45typical range per hour
- 510respiratory therapists employed in the metro area
- 96cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
Respiratory Therapist pay in Buffalo, NY
The metro median is 19% below the New York statewide median of $49.91 per hour. Nationally the median is $38.68 per hour. BLS counts about 510 respiratory therapists employed in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.08).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $33.33 | $69,330 | 14% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $36.42 | $75,750 | 6% below U.S. median |
| Median | $40.23 | $83,680 | 4% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $44.72 | $93,020 | 16% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $48.24 | $100,340 | 25% above U.S. median |
How Buffalo ranks
- 41st of 270 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 45th of 248 after adjusting for local prices
- 3rd of 7 New York 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 Buffalo
- Overall prices in Buffalo-Cheektowaga run 4% below the U.S. average (index 95.8, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 19% below the U.S. average (index 81.0).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $40.23 median hour buys what $41.97 buys at the national price level, 9% 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 Buffalo Respiratory Therapist pay report
Named employers near Buffalo, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportEstimate your Buffalo paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,448
- Per year: $72,414
- Per month: $6,034
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Buffalo
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $128 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $80 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,456 |
| 13-week assignment | $18,928 |
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 New York
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Buffalo as they open.
PermanentPosted 13 days ago
Respiratory Therapist – CRT/RRT
Garnet Health · Middletown, NY
$45.05–$51.78/ hour
Top 25% pay
For youUpdated weekly
100+ more Respiratory Therapist roles for you in New York
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
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PermanentPosted 24 days ago
Respiratory Therapist - Respiratory Care
Glens Falls Hospital · Glens Falls, NY
$33.00–$49.50/ hour
PermanentPosted 29 days ago
Respiratory Therapist
United Health Services · Johnson City, NY
$33.63–$50.45/ hour
PermanentPosted 29 days ago
Respiratory Therapist
United Health Services · Walton, NY
$30.58–$45.86/ hour
Hospitals in Buffalo
CMS lists 7 hospitals in Buffalo, 1 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of respiratory therapists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upstate New York Va Healthcare System (Western Ny Va Healthcare System) Buffalo, NY | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaleida Health Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Sisters Of Charity Hospital Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Erie County Medical Center Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Mercy Hospital Of Buffalo Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Brylin Hosp Buffalo, NY | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
| Buffalo Psychiatric Center Buffalo, NY | Psychiatric | Government and federal | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | 66 mi | $40.08/hr | 207,282 |
| Erie, PA | 82 mi | $32.54/hr | 92,940 |
| Syracuse, NY | 138 mi | $39.83/hr | 146,097 |
| Youngstown, OH | 154 mi | $34.89/hr | 59,123 |
| Cleveland, OH | 174 mi | $37.56/hr | 365,379 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 179 mi | $32.46/hr | 307,668 |
Respiratory Therapist jobs in New York · Respiratory Therapist jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in New York
RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what New York requires for your role with the New York licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
New York taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Buffalo
Buffalo city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do respiratory therapists make in Buffalo, NY?
Respiratory Therapists in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area have a median pay of $40.23 per hour, about $83,680 a year. The middle half earn between $36.42 and $44.72 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Buffalo a good place for respiratory therapists once cost of living is counted?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga ranks 45th of 248 metro areas for respiratory therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 41st of 270 before adjusting. Overall prices run 4% below the U.S. average.
Where do respiratory therapists work in Buffalo?
CMS lists 7 hospitals in Buffalo, led by Upstate New York Va Healthcare System (Western Ny Va Healthcare System). Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a New York license to work in Buffalo as a respiratory therapist?
RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what New York requires for your role with the New York 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 Buffalo?
The federal per diem benchmark in Buffalo is $128 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,456 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place respiratory therapists in Buffalo?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Buffalo and across New York. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Buffalo.
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What do employers near Buffalo 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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100+ Respiratory Therapist roles in New York, 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 reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your New York list by name comes with the full report
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- United Health ServicesJohnson City, NY · 2 postings$40.13/ hr$31–$50
- CommonSpirit HealthSacramento, CA · 8 postings$56.70/ hr$47–$71
- MultiCareTacoma, WA · 18 postings$54.16/ hr$29–$68
- Fairview Health ServicesGrand Rapids, MN · 7 postings$53.34/ hr$36–$63
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your New York list
2What they are offering now
Low$32Median$42.04High$56
5 RT postings with published pay in New York, 5 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 5 RT roles
- Registered Respiratory TherapistPermanent$73k–$127k/ year
- Respiratory Therapist – CRT/RRTPermanent$45.05–$51.78/ hour
+ 3 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.