Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Respiratory Therapists salary really buy you in Arizona?
Arizona is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Arizona's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 99.9, meaning prices are 0.1% lower the national average. A Respiratory Therapists earning $79,780 in Arizona has the equivalent purchasing power of $79,859 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $64,780 | $64,844 | +$64 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $70,680 | $70,750 | +$70 |
| Median (P50) | $79,780 | $79,859 | +$79 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $86,070 | $86,156 | +$86 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $99,180 | $99,279 | +$99 |
Arizona's cost of living is close to the national average, so $79,780 keeps most of its value at $79,859 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 99.9, Arizona is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Respiratory Therapists is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living, $79,780 nominal nets out to $79,860 in real purchasing power — a small 0.1% gain. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Respiratory Therapists.
Arizona ranks #44 of 51 — bottom quartile for Respiratory Therapists real purchasing power. Relocation, employer negotiation, or remote roles at higher-paying markets tend to generate the biggest ROI.
Where does Respiratory Therapists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Arizona ranks #44 out of 51 states for Respiratory Therapists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Respiratory Therapists take-home pay in Arizona after taxes →
A Respiratory Therapists in Arizona earns a median salary of $79,780 per year. After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (RPP=99.9), the real purchasing power is $79,859 — a +0.1% difference.
Arizona's cost of living is 0.1% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Arizona is 99.9 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Respiratory Therapists in Arizona: $79,780 x (100 / 99.9) = $79,859. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.