| Weekly pay | Up to $2,700 on a 5x8 schedule of 40 hours per week |
|---|---|
| License | California RCP license required, and there is no temporary license, so the full RCP must be in hand before you start |
| Shifts | Day, Evening, and Night shifts available |
| What sets it apart | The highest-paying state in the country for respiratory therapists |
| Extras | Weekly pay and a dedicated recruiter. Stipend details vary by contract; your recruiter breaks down every package. Call (866) 680-2920. |
| Pay updated | June 2026 |
California is the highest-paying state in the country for respiratory therapists, and the demand behind those wages is structural rather than seasonal. The state's enormous ICU footprint, a large and aging population, and heavy chronic respiratory disease burdens in the Central Valley and Inland Empire keep RT departments stretched year-round. For benchmarking, the national median for the profession is about $80,450 a year per BLS data, and California sits well above it, before travel stipends are even counted.
We Care Staffing's current California RT contracts pay up to $2,700 a week on a 5x8 schedule with day, evening, and night options. Therapists with strong ventilator and critical-care experience move to the front of the line here, because that is where the demand concentrates.
Here is the one logistical thing that decides whether you can take a California contract: licensing timing. California requires a Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license from the Respiratory Care Board of California, built on your NBRC credential (RRT). Crucially, California issues no temporary license, so unlike states where you can start on a temp permit, you must hold the full RCP before your first shift.
That makes the calendar your real constraint. Apply for the RCP before you start your contract search, not after you find one, and get your education and credential verifications moving the same day. Treating the license as step one rather than a later formality is the single best way to protect a California start date, especially since the demand and pay make the best contracts move fast.
Your package pairs a taxable hourly wage with tax-free housing and meal stipends following GSA rates for travelers who keep a qualifying tax home, with Bay Area and Los Angeles housing allowances among the highest in the country. California's income tax is high but applies only to your taxable base, not your stipends, so the after-tax picture holds up better than the headline rate implies. The work centers on adult ICU and ER ventilator management, with strong demand for therapists comfortable on high-acuity units.
Taxable Base Rate
Competitive hourly wage
Housing Stipend
Tax-free, GSA-based rates (Bay Area & LA among highest)
Meal Stipend
Tax-free daily allowance
Weekly Pay
Transparent breakdown every week
$2,700
Max Weekly Pay
#1
Highest-Paying State
5x8
Schedule
As a travel respiratory therapist with We Care Staffing, you assess and treat patients with cardiopulmonary conditions: managing ventilators and airway support, drawing and interpreting ABGs, delivering aerosol and oxygen therapies, responding to rapid responses and codes, and educating patients on chronic conditions. California's high-acuity ICUs put a premium on strong mechanical ventilation skills.
We Care Staffing places respiratory therapists across California's major metro hospital systems and its regional facilities. Demand concentrates around Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento, with heavy chronic-disease caseloads in the Central Valley and Inland Empire.
"I was hesitant to travel, but We Care was incredible. They helped me get my license and paperwork done while also providing excellent support during my assignment."
Samantha Torres
Travel Nurse
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