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What to Pay a Respiratory Therapist in Birmingham, AL (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$72,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$63K–$83K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.6%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~24
Birmingham metro average
To hire a Respiratory Therapist in Birmingham at market, plan on a base salary range of $63,000 to $83,000, with $72,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 24 days, expect to lead at $83K–$95K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Alabama does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your RT pay range in Birmingham

Three pay positions, modeled against current Birmingham market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$55K–$63K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Birmingham average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$68.4K–$76.4K
Default for most Birmingham employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~24 days. A range width of ~30% (min $63,000 to max $83,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a RT's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$78.6K–$95K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

RT salary percentile distribution in Birmingham, AL

Where the Birmingham market actually sits for RT base pay.

10th $55K
25th $63K
Median $72K
75th $83K
90th $95K

Most Birmingham employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($72,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $63,000 and a max of $83,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Alabama pay transparency compliance for RT job postings

What you must post when hiring a RT in Alabama.

Not required statewide. Alabama has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a RT role in Birmingham, a compliant good-faith range looks like $63,000 to $83,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $63,000–$83,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top RT employers in Birmingham — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring RTs in the Birmingham metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
UAB Medicine Academic medical center $68K–$85K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Grandview Medical Center Hospital (HCA) $66K–$85K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Ascension St. Vincent's Health system $68K–$85K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Children's of Alabama (UAB) Pediatric specialty $68K–$85K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Brookwood Baptist Medical Center Hospital $65K–$82K Very common ($8K–$15K)

RT talent supply and hiring difficulty in Birmingham

How hard is it to fill a RT role in Birmingham.

~24
Avg Days to Fill
~864
Active Postings
~5,040
Birmingham RT Workforce
Moderate
Supply : Demand

Birmingham respiratory therapist market centered on hospital ICU/ER, neonatal units, and pulmonary rehabilitation. ECMO specialists and NICU RTs command specialty premiums.

Skill premiums RT candidates command in Birmingham, AL

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist) +7–10% Very high
NPS (Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist) +7–10% Very high
ECMO specialist +9–14% High — specialty centers
RRT-SDS (Sleep Disorders) +5–8% Moderate

RT total compensation in Birmingham — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for RTs in Birmingham. "Prevalence" reflects share of Birmingham disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Birmingham Postings
Base salary $72,000 (median) 100%
Shift differential +12–18% premium ~86%
Sign-on bonus $4K–$10K ~62%
Certification pay (ACCS, NPS) +7–10% on base ~52%
Overtime opportunity $7K–$14K annualized ~90%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$88K–$104K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

RT pay by setting in Birmingham — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the RT range splits by employer type in the Birmingham metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Acute-care hospital (general) $69,000 $62K–$79K Moderate
ICU / critical care RT $79,000 $71K–$89K Very high
Emergency department RT $76,000 $68K–$86K Very high
Neonatal / pediatric RT $78,000 $69K–$88K Very high
Pulmonary rehab / sleep lab $65,000 $59K–$75K Moderate

FAQ: hiring a Respiratory Therapist in Birmingham, AL

Market median is $72,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $72,000 — typically $63,000 to $83,000. To lead the market, plan on $83K–$95K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Alabama. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $63,000–$83,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$64,000 falls below the Birmingham market median of $72,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 62% of Birmingham RT postings include a sign-on bonus ($4K–$10K). Specialty units (ICU, NICU, ECMO) command highest premiums.
Average fill time is approximately 24 days in the Birmingham metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($83K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($63K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Birmingham-metro posting volume: UAB Medicine, Grandview Medical Center, Ascension St. Vincent's, Children's of Alabama (UAB), Brookwood Baptist Medical Center lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for RT in Birmingham — for example, $63,000 to $83,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Alabama has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related RT pay benchmarks — Alabama metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
RT pay benchmark — Nashville, TN → RT pay benchmark — Memphis, TN → All RT pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Birmingham
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Birmingham → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Birmingham → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — Birmingham → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Birmingham → Physical Therapist pay benchmark — Birmingham → Physician Assistant pay benchmark — Birmingham → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Birmingham → Surgical Technologist pay benchmark — Birmingham → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Birmingham → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Birmingham → ICU Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Birmingham → Operating Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Birmingham → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.