SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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. Excludes “Recreation Workers” (39-9032).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-1125.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $40,990 | $3,416 | $788 | $19.71 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $50,240 | $4,187 | $966 | $24.16 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $61,960 | $5,163 | $1,192 | $29.79 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $79,930 | $6,661 | $1,537 | $38.43 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $100,420 | $8,368 | $1,931 | $48.28 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Recreational Therapists is $61,960, which is 22% higher. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 60 by median pay. With 14,930 jobs, it makes up about 1.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Recreational Therapists pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($98,170), District of Columbia ($95,640) and New Hampshire ($82,280). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($28,140), Mississippi ($39,560) and Kansas ($40,010). The most jobs were in California (1,920), New York (1,230) and Texas (800). The occupation is most concentrated in Kansas, where its share of all jobs is 5.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1,920 | $98,170 | $95,420 | $47.20 |
| District of Columbia | 50 | $95,640 | $88,060 | $45.98 |
| New Hampshire | 70 | $82,280 | $78,410 | $39.56 |
| Nevada | 400 | $78,730 | $71,530 | $37.85 |
| Washington | 240 | $77,860 | $81,020 | $37.44 |
| Minnesota | 250 | $76,360 | $75,120 | $36.71 |
| Colorado | 200 | $66,580 | $67,540 | $32.01 |
| Oregon | 250 | $66,530 | $67,670 | $31.99 |
| New York | 1,230 | $65,520 | $68,960 | $31.50 |
| Hawaii | 40 | $64,500 | $71,690 | $31.01 |
| Maryland | 290 | $64,300 | $63,340 | $30.91 |
| Vermont | 40 | $63,380 | $65,160 | $30.47 |
| Connecticut | 380 | $63,240 | $68,280 | $30.40 |
| Nebraska | 150 | $62,980 | $60,600 | $30.28 |
| Massachusetts | 210 | $62,820 | $66,680 | $30.20 |
| Arizona | 170 | $62,610 | $67,490 | $30.10 |
| Texas | 800 | $62,490 | $90,570 | $30.04 |
| Michigan | 590 | $61,700 | $60,860 | $29.66 |
| Virginia | 570 | $61,270 | $66,490 | $29.46 |
| Ohio | 310 | $60,770 | $62,290 | $29.22 |
| New Jersey | 430 | $60,400 | $65,780 | $29.04 |
| Wisconsin | 350 | $59,350 | $62,180 | $28.54 |
| Kentucky | 100 | $59,240 | $58,460 | $28.48 |
| Pennsylvania | 720 | $58,940 | $59,450 | $28.34 |
| Missouri | 140 | $58,620 | $62,160 | $28.18 |
| North Dakota | 80 | $58,370 | $56,980 | $28.06 |
| Florida | 640 | $57,980 | $60,090 | $27.87 |
| Maine | 40 | $57,560 | $60,050 | $27.67 |
| Alabama | 160 | $57,360 | $60,460 | $27.58 |
| Utah | 210 | $56,640 | $58,520 | $27.23 |
| Iowa | 230 | $56,140 | $59,030 | $26.99 |
| Illinois | 440 | $54,910 | $59,160 | $26.40 |
| Indiana | 190 | $53,770 | $55,700 | $25.85 |
| Georgia | 530 | $52,010 | $58,080 | $25.00 |
| Tennessee | 150 | $51,910 | $55,030 | $24.96 |
| Louisiana | 190 | $51,150 | $53,360 | $24.59 |
| Delaware | 70 | $51,110 | $54,860 | $24.57 |
| Montana | 40 | $51,110 | $57,730 | $24.57 |
| North Carolina | 440 | $51,030 | $55,950 | $24.53 |
| Oklahoma | 120 | $50,480 | $52,540 | $24.27 |
| Idaho | 90 | $49,720 | $54,920 | $23.90 |
| New Mexico | 100 | $49,210 | $61,680 | $23.66 |
| West Virginia | 130 | $49,010 | $59,120 | $23.56 |
| South Carolina | 190 | $48,880 | $51,870 | $23.50 |
| South Dakota | 40 | $46,850 | $53,620 | $22.53 |
| Arkansas | 70 | $42,670 | $47,890 | $20.52 |
| Kansas | 710 | $40,010 | $43,550 | $19.24 |
| Mississippi | 140 | $39,560 | $45,200 | $19.02 |
| Puerto Rico | 80 | $28,140 | $43,790 | $13.53 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400 a year
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,930 a year
- Athletic Trainers$62,520 a year
- Paramedics$60,600 a year
- Exercise Physiologists$59,460 a year
- Medical Records Specialists$51,140 a year
Common questions
How much do Recreational Therapists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $61,960 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,990 and the highest-paid 10% more than $100,420.
How many people work as Recreational Therapists?
About 14,930 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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