Kentucky Median
$59,240
per year
Hourly Rate
$28.48
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs National
-4% vs US median
US median $61,960
State Rank
#23 of 48
100 employed here
How much does a Recreational Therapist make in Kentucky?
A Recreational Therapist working in Kentucky earns a median salary of $59,240 per year, or about $28.48 per hour. That is 4% below the national median of $61,960 for this occupation.
Within Kentucky, entry-level pay starts around $37,850 while the top 10% make $77,590 or more. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,280 and $64,150 a year.
Recreational Therapist salary range in Kentucky
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,850 | $18.20 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $49,280 | $23.69 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $59,240 | $28.48 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $64,150 | $30.84 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,590 | $37.30 |
|
How Kentucky compares
Kentucky ranks 23rd out of 48 states and territories for Recreational Therapist pay. The top 5 best-paying states:
Recreational Therapist salary in other states
California $98,170District of Columbia $95,640New Hampshire $82,280Nevada $78,730Washington $77,860Minnesota $76,360Colorado $66,580Oregon $66,530New York $65,520Hawaii $64,500Maryland $64,300Vermont $63,380Connecticut $63,240Nebraska $62,980Massachusetts $62,820Arizona $62,610Texas $62,490Michigan $61,700Virginia $61,270Ohio $60,770New Jersey $60,400Wisconsin $59,350Pennsylvania $58,940Missouri $58,620North Dakota $58,370Florida $57,980Maine $57,560Alabama $57,360Utah $56,640Iowa $56,140Illinois $54,910Indiana $53,770Georgia $52,010Tennessee $51,910Louisiana $51,150Delaware $51,110Montana $51,110North Carolina $51,030Oklahoma $50,480Idaho $49,720New Mexico $49,210West Virginia $49,010South Carolina $48,880South Dakota $46,850Arkansas $42,670Kansas $40,010Mississippi $39,560
Working as a Recreational Therapist in Kentucky
Nationally, about 15,000 people work as Recreational Therapists in the United States. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
Considering a move? Compare Kentucky pay ($59,240) against the highest-paying state above, and weigh the difference against housing and everyday costs — a smaller paycheck in a cheaper state can stretch further.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Recreational Therapist make in Kentucky?
The median Recreational Therapist salary in Kentucky is $59,240 per year, or about $28.48 per hour, per official BLS state wage estimates. Salaries typically range from $37,850 at the entry level to $77,590 for the top 10% of earners.
How does Kentucky pay compare to the national average?
Kentucky pays Recreational Therapists about 4% less than the national median of $61,960. Kentucky ranks 23rd out of 48 states and territories reporting this occupation.
Is Kentucky a good state for Recreational Therapists?
Pay runs below the national median here, at $59,240 a year. About 100 Recreational Therapists are employed in Kentucky. A lower cost of living can offset the smaller paycheck, so compare take-home value, not just salary.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Kentucky?
The highest-paying occupations in Kentucky include Cardiologist ($558,180), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($350,950), Anesthesiologist ($347,960), based on median annual pay in official BLS state estimates.
← See the national Recreational Therapist salary report
Related salaries
$45,230
median pay · 144,000 employed
$81,110
median pay · 9,000 employed
$38,150
median pay · 127,000 employed
$77,930
median pay · 23,000 employed
$60,600
median pay · 101,000 employed
$45,750
median pay · 472,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). State figures are official BLS state-level wage estimates. Where BLS suppresses a state percentile, it is scaled from the official national distribution. Individual pay varies by employer, metro area, and experience.