How much does a Recreational Therapist make?
Recreational Therapists in the United States bring home a median salary of $61,960 a year, or around $29.79 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $40,990, while the top 10% earn $100,420.
That is $570 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Recreational Therapist salary range by percentile
Half of all Recreational Therapists earn between $50,240 and $79,930 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,990 | $19.71 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $50,240 | $24.15 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $61,960 | $29.79 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $79,930 | $38.43 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $100,420 | $48.28 |
Highest-paying states for Recreational Therapist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Recreational Therapist pay at $98,170 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($95,640) and New Hampshire ($82,280). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $39,560 — a gap of $58,610 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $98,170 | $47.20 | +58% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $95,640 | $45.98 | +54% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $82,280 | $39.56 | +33% |
| 4 | Nevada | $78,730 | $37.85 | +27% |
| 5 | Washington | $77,860 | $37.43 | +26% |
Recreational Therapist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 48 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 15,000 people work as Recreational Therapists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $67,630 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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