Recreational therapists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,990 | $19.71 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $61,960 | $29.79 |
| Mean (average) | $67,630 | $32.52 |
| 90th percentile | $100,420 | $48.28 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Recreational therapists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $57,360 | $43,840 | $87,110 | 160 | 0.77 |
| Arizona | $62,610 | $49,710 | $90,230 | 170 | 0.53 |
| Arkansas | $42,670 | $31,130 | $82,960 | 70 | 0.6 |
| California | $98,170 | $60,940 | $115,370 | 1,920 | 1.1 |
| Colorado | $66,580 | $44,530 | $88,120 | 200 | 0.73 |
| Connecticut | $63,240 | $46,350 | $101,650 | 380 | 2.3 |
| Delaware | $51,110 | $42,640 | $76,290 | 70 | 1.61 |
| District of Columbia | $95,640 | $50,840 | $118,340 | 50 | 0.79 |
| Florida | $57,980 | $41,400 | $86,610 | 640 | 0.67 |
| Georgia | $52,010 | $29,330 | $92,500 | 530 | 1.12 |
| Hawaii | $64,500 | $45,920 | $95,040 | 40 | 0.65 |
| Idaho | $49,720 | $39,920 | $72,360 | 90 | 1.13 |
| Illinois | $54,910 | $40,560 | $86,190 | 440 | 0.75 |
| Indiana | $53,770 | $38,550 | $76,750 | 190 | 0.62 |
| Iowa | $56,140 | $43,580 | $81,970 | 230 | 1.55 |
| Kansas | $40,010 | $29,720 | $60,720 | 710 | 5.11 |
| Kentucky | $59,240 | $37,850 | $77,590 | 100 | 0.51 |
| Louisiana | $51,150 | $36,590 | $67,220 | 190 | 1.02 |
| Maine | $57,560 | $39,480 | $77,130 | 40 | 0.58 |
| Maryland | $64,300 | $39,220 | $95,490 | 290 | 1.09 |
| Massachusetts | $62,820 | $49,090 | $94,890 | 210 | 0.61 |
| Michigan | $61,700 | $42,270 | $73,690 | 590 | 1.39 |
| Minnesota | $76,360 | $55,210 | $97,570 | 250 | 0.89 |
| Mississippi | $39,560 | $30,570 | $65,170 | 140 | 1.26 |
| Missouri | $58,620 | $43,000 | $93,500 | 140 | 0.49 |
| Montana | $51,110 | $38,210 | $86,260 | 40 | 0.75 |
| Nebraska | $62,980 | $40,370 | $79,080 | 150 | 1.57 |
| Nevada | $78,730 | $46,380 | $98,630 | 400 | 2.66 |
| New Hampshire | $82,280 | $53,060 | $98,310 | 70 | 1.11 |
| New Jersey | $60,400 | $49,810 | $85,580 | 430 | 1.03 |
| New Mexico | $49,210 | $41,600 | $110,470 | 100 | 1.18 |
| New York | $65,520 | $49,940 | $91,370 | 1,230 | 1.33 |
| North Carolina | $51,030 | $41,490 | $78,340 | 440 | 0.93 |
| North Dakota | $58,370 | $40,100 | $70,570 | 80 | 1.84 |
| Ohio | $60,770 | $46,440 | $84,910 | 310 | 0.58 |
| Oklahoma | $50,480 | $32,920 | $77,910 | 120 | 0.72 |
| Oregon | $66,530 | $51,210 | $83,780 | 250 | 1.34 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,940 | $39,690 | $80,340 | 720 | 1.24 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,140 | $27,630 | $93,450 | 80 | 0.89 |
| South Carolina | $48,880 | $38,290 | $74,670 | 190 | 0.84 |
| South Dakota | $46,850 | $41,390 | $83,780 | 40 | 0.99 |
| Tennessee | $51,910 | $37,080 | $78,850 | 150 | 0.49 |
| Texas | $62,490 | $36,210 | $213,790 | 800 | 0.59 |
| Utah | $56,640 | $31,730 | $86,260 | 210 | 1.26 |
| Vermont | $63,380 | $49,830 | $79,170 | 40 | 1.23 |
| Virginia | $61,270 | $49,580 | $87,020 | 570 | 1.43 |
| Washington | $77,860 | $61,070 | $108,200 | 240 | 0.69 |
| West Virginia | $49,010 | $36,580 | $118,410 | 130 | 1.93 |
| Wisconsin | $59,350 | $48,650 | $81,330 | 350 | 1.24 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for recreational therapists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for recreational therapists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy CIP 51.2309
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
- Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
- Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.
- Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
- Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.
- Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
- Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
- Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Avid Technology Sibelius
- Email software
- Hyperscore
- MakeMusic Finale
- Musical instrument digital interface MIDI software
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
- Speech recognition software
- Steinberg Cubase Pro
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Instructing, Complex Problem Solving, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Activities Coordinator, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), General Activities Therapist, Recreation Therapist, Recreational Therapist, Recreational Therapy Program Coordinator, Rehabilitation Therapist, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Therapeutic Specialist, Therapist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do recreational therapists make?
The national median annual wage for recreational therapists was $61,960 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $40,990 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $100,420. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do recreational therapists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is recreational therapists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of recreational therapists to change +4.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay recreational therapists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($98,170), District of Columbia ($95,640), New Hampshire ($82,280). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.