Recreational Therapists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for recreational therapists in the U.S. is $61,960 ($29.79 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $61,960
- Mean annual wage
- $67,630
- Median hourly wage
- $29.79
- Employment
- 14,930
14,930 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,990 | $19.71 |
| 25th percentile | $50,240 | $24.16 |
| Median (50th) | $61,960 | $29.79 |
| 75th percentile | $79,930 | $38.43 |
| 90th percentile | $100,420 | $48.28 |
Highest-paying states for recreational therapists
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| California | $98,170 | 1,920 |
| District of Columbia | $95,640 | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $82,280 | 70 |
| Nevada | $78,730 | 400 |
| Washington | $77,860 | 240 |
| Minnesota | $76,360 | 250 |
| Colorado | $66,580 | 200 |
| Oregon | $66,530 | 250 |
| New York | $65,520 | 1,230 |
| Hawaii | $64,500 | 40 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $39,560 median annual wage
- Kansas: $40,010 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $42,670 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $46,850 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $48,880 median annual wage
About this occupation
Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
- 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.
- Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
- Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Bachelor's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 5.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 12.3% |
| Associate's degree | 7.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 57.8% |
| Master's degree | 16.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400
- Pharmacy Technicians$45,750
- Physicians, All Other$265,930
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,930
- Nurse Practitioners$132,300
- Pharmacists$140,910
- Physical Therapists$102,760
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.