Respiratory Therapist
Everything OPM FedScope (June 2026) reports about the Respiratory Therapist occupation series (code 0651): headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison.
The verdict
In the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, Respiratory Therapist counts 304 employees, a smaller, specialized federal occupation at 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.3% from the prior period; pay averages $71,338, which pays below the federal-wide $117,339.
- Employees
- 304
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $71,338
- Avg tenure
- 13.2 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Respiratory Therapist
Federal agencies employ 304 people in the Respiratory Therapist occupation (OPM code 0651), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 1,953,300 for the June 2026 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -1.3% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.
The average salary for Respiratory Therapist is $71,338 per year. Salaries moved up by 0.3% from the prior period, a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change. Average length of service in this role is 13.2 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
Respiratory Therapist sits inside the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family (code 06), which contains 45 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Respiratory Therapist postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family.
Respiratory Therapist makes up 0.1% of the 339,162 employees across the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, ranking #41 of 45 occupations in that family by headcount.
Salary context · lean-pay series
How Respiratory Therapist pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$71,338
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-39.2%
Where Respiratory Therapist ranks on lean federal pay
Its average salary of $71,338 is higher than 28% of federal occupation series (149 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Respiratory Therapist sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Respiratory Therapist ranks higher than 28%.
Related Occupations in Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse | 106,218 | $132,267 | 10.2 yrs |
| Medical Support Assistance | 39,856 | $58,279 | 8.2 yrs |
| Medical Officer | 34,687 | $301,569 | 11.6 yrs |
| General Health Science | 17,434 | $133,765 | 11.9 yrs |
| Practical Nurse | 16,755 | $75,898 | 10.4 yrs |
| Pharmacist | 14,529 | $167,390 | 11.1 yrs |
| Nursing Assistant | 14,498 | $55,851 | 7.8 yrs |
| Health Aid and Technician | 12,490 | $61,276 | 10.8 yrs |
| Health System Specialist | 7,966 | $110,534 | 15.9 yrs |
| Pharmacy Technician | 7,658 | $70,794 | 9.5 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Respiratory Therapist outside the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (304 here).
Similar lean average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($71,338 here).
Key takeaways
- Respiratory Therapist pays below the federal average by 39.2% ($71,338 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 28th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 304 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 1.3% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Respiratory Therapist ranks #365 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Respiratory Therapist makes up 0.1% of the 339,162 employees across the Medical, Hospital, Dental, and Public Health Group family, ranking #41 of 45 occupations in that family by headcount.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.