TX · McAllen · Updated October 15, 2026

Respiratory Therapist jobs in McAllen, TX

Pay for respiratory therapists in the McAllen area centers on $30.31 per hour, or about $63,040 a year. The lower quarter earns under $29.76 and the upper quarter over $35.22. That ranks 251st of 270 U.S. metro areas for respiratory therapist pay, and 212th of 248 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in McAllen. The free report below lists employers near McAllen and what they pay.

Respiratory Therapist pay in McAllen, TX

The metro median is 19% below the Texas statewide median of $37.28 per hour. Nationally the median is $38.68 per hour. BLS counts about 290 respiratory therapists employed in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.11).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$26.00$54,08033% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$29.76$61,90023% below U.S. median
Median$30.31$63,04022% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$35.22$73,2609% below U.S. median
Top 10%$39.12$81,3701% above U.S. median

How McAllen ranks

  • 251st of 270 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 212th of 248 after adjusting for local prices
  • 17th of 18 Texas 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 McAllen

  • Overall prices in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission run 14% below the U.S. average (index 85.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 44% below the U.S. average (index 55.9).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $30.31 median hour buys what $35.29 buys at the national price level, 9% below 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 McAllen Respiratory Therapist pay report

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

Get my free pay report

Estimate your McAllen paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,091
  • Per year: $54,558
  • Per month: $4,546
  • Texas has no state income tax on wages.

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

Travel assignment per diem in McAllen

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$110
Meals and incidentals per day$68
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,246
13-week assignment$16,198

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 (this is the standard rate that applies here). 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 Texas

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

PermanentPosted 7 days ago

Supervisory Respiratory Therapist

Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · Fort Sam Houston, TX

$69k–$90k/ year
  • Full-time
  • Req 888071200
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

All Respiratory Therapist jobs in Texas

Hospitals in McAllen

CMS lists 1 hospital in McAllen, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of respiratory therapists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Rio Grande Regional Hospital
Mcallen, TX
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes

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
Mission, TX5 mi$30.31/hr88,574
Pharr, TX5 mi$30.31/hr81,142
Harlingen, TX34 mi$29.43/hr72,234
Brownsville, TX52 mi$29.43/hr191,967
Laredo, TX120 mi$37.28/hr261,260
Corpus Christi, TX125 mi$33.45/hr317,317

Respiratory Therapist jobs in Texas · Respiratory Therapist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Texas

RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Texas requires for your role with the Texas licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Texas does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Texas state guide

Other healthcare roles in McAllen

McAllen city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do respiratory therapists make in McAllen, TX?

Respiratory Therapists in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area have a median pay of $30.31 per hour, about $63,040 a year. The middle half earn between $29.76 and $35.22 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission ranks 212th of 248 metro areas for respiratory therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 251st of 270 before adjusting. Overall prices run 14% below the U.S. average.

Where do respiratory therapists work in McAllen?

CMS lists 1 hospital in McAllen, led by Rio Grande Regional Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Texas license to work in McAllen as a respiratory therapist?

RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Texas requires for your role with the Texas 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 McAllen?

The federal per diem benchmark in McAllen is $110 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,246 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place respiratory therapists in McAllen?

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

Free for every candidate

What do employers near McAllen 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

190+ Respiratory Therapist roles in Texas, 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 McAllen, TX
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RT pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Texas list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • CommonSpirit HealthBRYAN, TX · 7 postings$34.78/ hr$25–$45
  • 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 Texas list

2What they are offering now

Low$26Median$35.89High$44

8 RT postings with published pay in Texas, 8 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 8 RT roles

  1. Registered Respiratory TherapistPermanent
    $30.10–$44.77/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Bryan, TX · posted today
  2. Certified Respiratory TherapistPermanent
    $25.42–$37.82/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Bryan, TX · posted today

+ 6 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