How much do Respiratory Therapists make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?

Percentile spread

For Respiratory Therapists, the published 10th percentile is $100,040 and the 90th percentile is $161,250. The difference is $61,210, which is 45.4% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $100,040 to the 75th at $161,250, covers $61,210.

The mean annual wage is $133,510, which sits below the median of $134,880. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA median is 63.9% higher than the national median of $82,280 for Respiratory Therapists. In 2024 national prices the local median is $122,734, which is 49.2% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 28.7% higher than the California median of $104,820.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is 109.896, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $134,880 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Respiratory Therapists at $122,734 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

12 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Respiratory Therapists. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ranks 3rd of 13 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is 36 miles away, with a median of $149,680 and employment of 1,060. That median is 11% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $135,551, against $122,734 here.
• San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is 55 miles away, with a median of $130,220 and employment of 2,010. That median is 3.5% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $112,634, against $122,734 here.
• Modesto, CA is 67 miles away, with a median of $103,870 and employment of 270. That median is 23% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $99,771, against $122,734 here.

Employment share

Respiratory Therapists accounts for 0.07% of wage-and-salary employment in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA (70 of 98,500). Nationally the occupation is 0.09% of employment (139,790 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.79 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.