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What does a Respiratory Therapists salary really buy you in Colorado?
Colorado is 2.3% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Colorado's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.3, meaning prices are 2.3% higher the national average. A Respiratory Therapists earning $86,220 in Colorado has the equivalent purchasing power of $84,281 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $66,560 | $65,063 | $-1,496 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $78,980 | $77,204 | $-1,775 |
| Median (P50) | $86,220 | $84,281 | $-1,938 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $100,130 | $97,878 | $-2,251 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $109,070 | $106,617 | $-2,452 |
Colorado's cost of living is close to the national average, so $86,220 keeps most of its value at $84,281 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 102.3, Colorado 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 Colorado's cost of living, $86,220 nominal nets out to $84,282 in real purchasing power — a small 2.2% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Respiratory Therapists.
Colorado's rank of #32 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Respiratory Therapists trails the national half-way line.
Where does Respiratory Therapists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Colorado ranks #32 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 Colorado after taxes →
A Respiratory Therapists in Colorado earns a median salary of $86,220 per year. After adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (RPP=102.3), the real purchasing power is $84,281 — a -2.2% difference.
Colorado's cost of living is 2.3% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Colorado is 102.3 (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 Colorado: $86,220 x (100 / 102.3) = $84,281. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Respiratory Therapists's nominal salary of $86,220 in Colorado has 2.2% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $84,281. However, Colorado may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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