Registered Nurse vs Registered Respiratory Therapist
In 2025, the median salary for Registered Nurse was $6,274 (5.6%) higher than for Registered Respiratory Therapist: $118,605 against $112,331. Registered Nurse had 27,436 people on the list, Registered Respiratory Therapist 592.
At a glance
| Registered Nurse | Registered Respiratory Therapist | |
|---|---|---|
| People on the 2025 list | 27,436 | 592 |
| Median salary | $118,605 | $112,331 |
| Middle half | $111,652–$127,379 | $107,648–$121,596 |
| Highest salary | $322,245 | $261,468 |
| Total salaries | $3,344,617,179 | $69,494,322 |
| People, change | +14.6% vs 2024 | +3.0% vs 2024 |
| Median, change | +2.2% vs 2024 | −1.8% vs 2024 |
Median salary by year
Show as a table
| Year | Registered Nurse | Registered Respiratory Therapist |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $103,080 | |
| 2001 | $104,465 | |
| 2002 | $107,604 | |
| 2003 | $109,015 | |
| 2004 | $107,247 | |
| 2005 | $106,842 | |
| 2006 | $107,136 | |
| 2007 | $108,007 | |
| 2008 | $107,112 | |
| 2009 | $106,537 | |
| 2010 | $106,931 | |
| 2011 | $106,911 | |
| 2012 | $106,548 | |
| 2013 | $106,461 | |
| 2014 | $106,009 | |
| 2015 | $105,625 | $103,468 |
| 2016 | $105,913 | $104,136 |
| 2017 | $105,713 | $103,703 |
| 2018 | $105,940 | $106,165 |
| 2019 | $105,518 | $104,250 |
| 2020 | $106,157 | $105,204 |
| 2021 | $107,156 | $107,180 |
| 2022 | $109,427 | $107,951 |
| 2023 | $117,483 | $109,990 |
| 2024 | $116,075 | $114,386 |
| 2025 | $118,605 | $112,331 |
People on the list by year
Show as a table
| Year | Registered Nurse | Registered Respiratory Therapist |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17 | |
| 2001 | 18 | |
| 2002 | 63 | |
| 2003 | 77 | |
| 2004 | 82 | |
| 2005 | 186 | |
| 2006 | 274 | |
| 2007 | 646 | |
| 2008 | 1,274 | |
| 2009 | 1,210 | |
| 2010 | 1,342 | |
| 2011 | 1,779 | |
| 2012 | 2,027 | |
| 2013 | 1,933 | |
| 2014 | 2,678 | |
| 2015 | 3,298 | 7 |
| 2016 | 3,608 | 9 |
| 2017 | 4,181 | 14 |
| 2018 | 5,572 | 25 |
| 2019 | 6,099 | 49 |
| 2020 | 13,878 | 173 |
| 2021 | 10,994 | 213 |
| 2022 | 17,364 | 261 |
| 2023 | 22,038 | 465 |
| 2024 | 23,936 | 575 |
| 2025 | 27,436 | 592 |
Highest paid in 2025
Registered Nurse
| # | Name | Employer | Salary | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Susan Connerty | Perth And Smiths Falls District Hospital | $322,245 | $747 |
| 2 | Mohamed Badwilan | Cambridge Memorial Hospital | $321,305 | $0 |
| 3 | Mary George | Weeneebayko Area Health Authority | $302,009 | $31,782 |
| 4 | Fengqin Jiang | Lennox And Addington County General Hospital | $288,726 | $830 |
| 5 | Lise Laframboise | Brockville General Hospital | $284,691 | $620 |
Registered Respiratory Therapist
| # | Name | Employer | Salary | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Odisho Odisho | MacKenzie Health | $261,468 | $427 |
| 2 | Michele Brazil | Hamilton Health Sciences | $212,368 | $237 |
| 3 | Christopher Balaz | MacKenzie Health | $207,655 | $408 |
| 4 | Sarah Nicol | Hamilton Health Sciences | $206,473 | $194 |
| 5 | Matthew Brillinger | Scarborough Health Network | $203,252 | $311 |
More comparisons
Questions and answers
Which pays more, Registered Nurse or Registered Respiratory Therapist?
By median salary in 2025, Registered Nurse: $118,605 against $112,331.
Which has more people on the list?
Registered Nurse: 27,436 against 592 in 2025.
How has the gap changed since 2015?
In 2015 the median for Registered Nurse was $105,625 and for Registered Respiratory Therapist $103,468, a gap of $2,157; in 2025 the gap was $6,274.
What do these figures cover?
Only people paid $100,000 or more are on the list, so medians and counts describe them, not everyone with each title.
What does “salary paid” include?
What the employer paid in the calendar year, so it can include overtime, retroactive pay, vacation payouts, severance or a partial year. Taxable benefits are listed separately. How the lists work