PermanentPosted 13 days ago
Respiratory Care Practitioner (RRT)
SSM Health · Madison, WI
Pay range with your report
Respiratory Therapist jobs in Madison, WI
Pay for respiratory therapists in the Madison area centers on $39.27 per hour, or about $81,690 a year. The lower quarter earns under $33.26 and the upper quarter over $41.08. That ranks 65th of 270 U.S. metro areas for respiratory therapist pay, and 84th of 248 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 5 hospitals in Madison. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Madison.
- $39.27median pay per hour, Madison
- $33–$41typical range per hour
- 340respiratory therapists employed in the metro area
- 97cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
More open Respiratory Therapist roles in Madison
4 more open roles from employers in Madison. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted 13 days ago
Respiratory Care Practitioner (RRT) - Pulmonary Function
SSM Health · Madison, WI
Pay range with your report
PermanentPosted 20 days ago
Respiratory Therapist – Med Flight Peds and Neonatal Transport
UW Health · Madison, WI
Pay range with your report
PermanentPosted 23 days ago
Respiratory Therapist - Full-time
Select Medical · Madison, WI
Pay range with your report
Respiratory Therapist pay in Madison, WI
The metro median is 1% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $39.50 per hour. Nationally the median is $38.68 per hour. BLS counts about 340 respiratory therapists employed in the Madison metro area, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is about as concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.96).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $32.43 | $67,450 | 16% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $33.26 | $69,180 | 14% below U.S. median |
| Median | $39.27 | $81,690 | 2% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $41.08 | $85,450 | 6% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $45.65 | $94,950 | 18% above U.S. median |
How Madison ranks
- 65th of 270 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 84th of 248 after adjusting for local prices
- 4th of 8 Wisconsin 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.
Get the Madison Respiratory Therapist pay report
Named employers near Madison, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWhat your pay buys in Madison
- Overall prices in Madison run 3% below the U.S. average (index 97.3, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: in line with the U.S. average (index 99.7).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $39.27 median hour buys what $40.37 buys at the national price level, 4% 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 Madison paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,414
- Per year: $70,686
- Per month: $5,890
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Madison metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Madison
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $124 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $80 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,428 |
| 13-week assignment | $18,564 |
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 Wisconsin
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Madison as they open.
PermanentPosted today
Respiratory Therapist
Hospital Sisters Health System · Green Bay, WI
$32.58–$48.87/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 13 days ago
Respiratory Therapist (RT)
Advocate Health · Wisconsin
$33.05–$49.60/ hour
For youUpdated weekly
70+ more Respiratory Therapist roles for you in Wisconsin
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 13 days ago
Respiratory Therapist (RT)
Advocate Health · Wisconsin
$33.05–$49.60/ hour
PermanentPosted 13 days ago
Respiratory Therapist - Pool A
Advocate Health · Wisconsin
$33.05–$49.60/ hour
PermanentPosted 17 days ago
Respiratory Therapist (RT)
Advocate Health · Wisconsin
$33.05–$49.60/ hour
PermanentPosted 22 days ago
Respiratory Therapist - Nights
Mercy · Wisconsin
$33.12–$51.33/ hour
Top 25% pay
Hospitals in Madison
CMS lists 5 hospitals in Madison, 4 of the 4 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of respiratory therapists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Va Medical Center Madison, WI | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Unitypoint Health - Meriter Madison, WI | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| University Of Wi Hospitals & Clinics Authority Madison, WI | Acute care | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Ssm Health St Mary's Hospital - Madison Madison, WI | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Mendota Mental Health Institute Madison, WI | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 35 mi | $38.97/hr | 66,428 |
| Waukesha, WI | 60 mi | $39.91/hr | 71,461 |
| Rockford, IL | 60 mi | $36.90/hr | 147,486 |
| West Allis, WI | 71 mi | $39.91/hr | 59,784 |
| Milwaukee, WI | 74 mi | $39.91/hr | 563,531 |
| Dubuque, IA | 76 mi | $33.07/hr | 58,987 |
Respiratory Therapist jobs in Wisconsin · Respiratory Therapist jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in Wisconsin
RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Wisconsin requires for your role with the Wisconsin licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
Wisconsin taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Madison
Madison city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do respiratory therapists make in Madison, WI?
Respiratory Therapists in the Madison metro area have a median pay of $39.27 per hour, about $81,690 a year. The middle half earn between $33.26 and $41.08 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Madison a good place for respiratory therapists once cost of living is counted?
Madison ranks 84th of 248 metro areas for respiratory therapist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 65th of 270 before adjusting. Overall prices run 3% below the U.S. average.
Where do respiratory therapists work in Madison?
CMS lists 5 hospitals in Madison, led by Madison Va Medical Center. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a Wisconsin license to work in Madison as a respiratory therapist?
RRT or CRT credential from NBRC. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Wisconsin requires for your role with the Wisconsin 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 Madison?
The federal per diem benchmark in Madison is $124 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,428 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place respiratory therapists in Madison?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Madison and across Wisconsin. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Madison.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near Madison 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.
Get your free pay report
70+ Respiratory Therapist roles in Wisconsin, 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 reportMadison, WI · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- Advocate HealthWisconsin · 4 postings$41.33/ hr$33–$50
- Hospital Sisters Health SystemGreen Bay, WI · 3 postings$40.72/ hr$33–$49
- MercyWisconsin · 9 postings$39.01/ hr$26–$51
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$31Median$41.33High$51
17 RT postings with published pay in Wisconsin, 11 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 17 RT roles
- Respiratory TherapistPermanent$32.58–$48.87/ hour
- Respiratory Therapist (RT)Permanent$33.05–$49.60/ hour
+ 15 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.