What to Pay a Respiratory Therapist in Salt Lake City, UT (2026)
How to set your RT pay range in Salt Lake City
Three pay positions, modeled against current Salt Lake City market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.
RT salary percentile distribution in Salt Lake City, UT
Where the Salt Lake City market actually sits for RT base pay.
Most Salt Lake City employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($82,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $71,000 and a max of $94,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.
Utah pay transparency compliance for RT job postings
What you must post when hiring a RT in Utah.
For a RT role in Salt Lake City, a compliant good-faith range looks like $71,000 to $94,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $71,000–$94,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.
Top RT employers in Salt Lake City — who you're competing against
Top healthcare employers hiring RTs in the Salt Lake City metro and what they're posting.
| Employer | Type | Disclosed Range | Sign-on Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intermountain Healthcare | Integrated health system | $77K–$97K | Very common ($8K–$15K) |
| University of Utah Health | Academic medical center | $77K–$97K | Very common ($8K–$15K) |
| HCA MountainStar Healthcare | Health system | $77K–$97K | Very common ($8K–$15K) |
| Primary Children's Hospital | Pediatric specialty | $77K–$97K | Very common ($8K–$15K) |
| St. Mark's Hospital (HCA) | Hospital | $74K–$93K | Very common ($8K–$15K) |
RT talent supply and hiring difficulty in Salt Lake City
How hard is it to fill a RT role in Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City, UT
| 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 Salt Lake City — what candidates expect beyond base
Total rewards mix for RTs in Salt Lake City. "Prevalence" reflects share of Salt Lake City disclosed-range postings including each element.
| Component | Typical Value | Prevalence in Salt Lake City Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $82,000 (median) | 100% |
| Shift differential | +12–18% premium | ~86% |
| Sign-on bonus | $5K–$11K | ~62% |
| Certification pay (ACCS, NPS) | +7–10% on base | ~52% |
| Overtime opportunity | $8K–$16K annualized | ~90% |
| Estimated total comp benchmark | ~$100K–$118K | — |
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 Salt Lake City — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health
Where the RT range splits by employer type in the Salt Lake City metro.
| Setting | Median | Competitive Range | Hiring Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute-care hospital (general) | $79,000 | $71K–$90K | Moderate |
| ICU / critical care RT | $90,000 | $80K–$102K | Very high |
| Emergency department RT | $87,000 | $77K–$98K | Very high |
| Neonatal / pediatric RT | $89,000 | $79K–$100K | Very high |
| Pulmonary rehab / sleep lab | $74,000 | $67K–$85K | Moderate |
FAQ: hiring a Respiratory Therapist in Salt Lake City, UT
Related RT pay benchmarks — Utah metros and nearby nursing roles
One page. One job. One city.
If you're modeling pay ranges across hundreds of roles and dozens of locations, doing this manually is the merit-cycle scramble that ate your last quarter. BetterComp keeps your full range structure current against live market data — without the survey lag.
See how it works →
Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.