Recreational Therapists Salary
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 15K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$61,960
Median hourly
$30
Average annual
$67,630
Typical range
$40,990–$100,420
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Recreational Therapists is $61,960 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $30 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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.
Most earn between $40,990 and $100,420 a year. There are roughly 15K people employed as recreational therapists in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Recreational Therapists.
- Hourly
- $29.79
- Daily
- $238
- Weekly
- $1,192
- Bi-weekly
- $2,383
- Monthly
- $5,163
- Annual
- $61,960
$61,960 a year is around the 50th percentile for Recreational Therapistss. The median is $61,960.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1California$98,170
- 2District of Columbia$95,640
- 3New Hampshire$82,280
- 4Nevada$78,730
- 5Washington$77,860
- 6Minnesota$76,360
- 7Colorado$66,580
- 8Oregon$66,530
- 9New York$65,520
- 10Hawaii$64,500
- 11Maryland$64,300
- 12Vermont$63,380
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Stockton-Lodi, CA$115,330
- 2Vallejo, CA$115,330
- 3Napa, CA$107,810
- 4San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$102,420
- 5San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$101,670
- 6San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$98,530
- 7Fresno, CA$98,160
- 8Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$98,120
- 9Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$91,790
- 10Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$91,740
- 11Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$82,660
- 12Mankato, MN$81,950
Related job titles
Employers advertise Recreational Therapists roles under these titles.
- Activities Therapist
- Activity Therapist
- Adventure Therapist
- Certified Recreational Therapist
- Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)
- Dance Therapist
- Drama Therapist
- General Activities Therapist
- Horticultural Therapist
- Recreation Therapist
- Recreational Therapist
- Recreational Therapy Program Coordinator
- Recreational Therapy Technician
- Therapeutic Mentor
- Therapeutic Specialist
Related occupations
What a Recreational Therapists does
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Recreational Therapists make?
- The median annual wage for Recreational Therapists is $61,960 ($30 per hour). Pay ranges from about $40,990 at the 10th percentile to $100,420 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Recreational Therapists?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $67,630, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Recreational Therapistss the most?
- California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $98,170.
- Is Recreational Therapists a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 15K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Recreational Therapists do?
- 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..