VA · Suffolk · Updated October 15, 2026

Respiratory Therapist jobs in Suffolk, VA

Respiratory Therapists in the Suffolk area earn a median of $38.44 per hour, about $79,960 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $37.07 and $45.07. That ranks 91st of 270 U.S. metro areas for respiratory therapist pay, and 123rd of 248 once local prices are factored in. 6 open roles with published pay are listed for Suffolk. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Suffolk.

Open Respiratory Therapist roles in Suffolk

PermanentPosted today

Respiratory Therapist

Sentara Healthcare · Suffolk, VA

$37.61–$55.27/ hour
  • Flexible time
  • Req JR-106628
Top 25% payNew this week
View role
PermanentPosted today

Respiratory Therapist II

Sentara Healthcare · Suffolk, VA

$37.61–$55.27/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req JR-107983
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

More open Respiratory Therapist roles in Suffolk

1 more open role from employers in Suffolk. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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

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Respiratory Therapist pay in Suffolk, VA

The metro median is in line with the Virginia statewide median of $38.27 per hour. Nationally the median is $38.68 per hour. BLS counts about 600 respiratory therapists employed in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.90).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$30.96$64,40020% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$37.07$77,1104% below U.S. median
Median$38.44$79,9601% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$45.07$93,75017% above U.S. median
Top 10%$48.41$100,69025% above U.S. median

How Suffolk ranks

  • 91st of 270 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 123rd of 248 after adjusting for local prices
  • 2nd of 4 Virginia 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 Suffolk

  • Overall prices in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk run 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: in line with the U.S. average (index 99.8).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $38.44 median hour buys what $39.25 buys at the national price level, 1% 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 Suffolk paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,384
  • Per year: $69,192
  • Per month: $5,766

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

Travel assignment per diem in Suffolk

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).

Hospitals in Suffolk

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Suffolk, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of respiratory therapists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Sentara Obici Hospital
Suffolk, VA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center
Suffolk, VA
Acute careNonprofitNot ratedYes

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
Chesapeake, VA18 mi$38.44/hr254,997
Portsmouth, VA19 mi$38.44/hr96,482
Richmond, VA74 mi$38.50/hr233,655
Rocky Mount, NC82 mi$32.85/hr54,541
Greenville, NC87 mi$32.18/hr95,138
Wake Forest, NC116 mi$40.18/hr56,764

Respiratory Therapist jobs in Virginia · Respiratory Therapist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Virginia

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

Virginia taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Virginia state guide

Other healthcare roles in Suffolk

Suffolk city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do respiratory therapists make in Suffolk, VA?

Respiratory Therapists in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area have a median pay of $38.44 per hour, about $79,960 a year. The middle half earn between $37.07 and $45.07 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk ranks 123rd of 248 metro areas for respiratory therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 91st of 270 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring respiratory therapists in Suffolk?

We list 6 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in Suffolk. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Suffolk.

Do I need a Virginia license to work in Suffolk as a respiratory therapist?

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

The federal per diem benchmark in Suffolk 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 Suffolk?

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

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What do employers near Suffolk pay respiratory therapists? Get the report.

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  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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

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    What they are offering now

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

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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 Suffolk, VA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RT pay reportSuffolk, VA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Sentara HealthcareSuffolk, VA · 16 postings$46.44/ hr$38–$62
  • Mary Washington HealthcareVirginia · 10 postings$46.95/ hr$36–$62
  • Carilion ClinicRoanoke, VA · 6 postings$38.09/ hr$28–$46
  • Valley HealthWinchester, VA · 12 postings$36.75/ hr$29–$44

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$29Median$38.09High$55

57 RT postings with published pay in Virginia, 50 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 57 RT roles

  1. Respiratory TherapistPermanent
    $37.61–$55.27/ hour
    Sentara Healthcare · Suffolk, VA · posted today
  2. Respiratory Therapist IIPermanent
    $37.61–$55.27/ hour
    Sentara Healthcare · Suffolk, VA · posted today

+ 55 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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