Average Salary for Recreational Therapists
SOC 29-1125 · Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Recreational Therapists in the United States is $60,280 ($28.98/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $39,520 at the 10th percentile to $96,600 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 15,060 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 37% since 2014.
Median Annual
$60,280
Mean Annual
$65,350
10th Pct
$39,520
75th Pct
$77,680
Employment
15,060
Salary Distribution
$40k
10th
$48k
25th
$60k
Median
$78k
75th
$97k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $102,640 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $102,640 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $100,820 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $100,360 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $96,530 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $93,640 |
| Fresno, CA | $93,550 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $88,610 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $88,300 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,280 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $77,450 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,250 |
| New Haven, CT | $69,760 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $69,350 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $69,070 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| California | $96,530 |
| District of Columbia | $92,010 |
| Washington | $78,620 |
| Nevada | $77,450 |
| New Hampshire | $74,780 |
| Minnesota | $67,300 |
| New Jersey | $64,880 |
| Oregon | $64,000 |
| Illinois | $63,610 |
| New York | $63,520 |
| Michigan | $63,200 |
| Colorado | $62,630 |
| Arizona | $61,110 |
| Wyoming | $61,080 |
| Connecticut | $61,030 |
| Ohio | $60,210 |
| Maryland | $58,390 |
| North Dakota | $57,960 |
| Massachusetts | $57,540 |
| Virginia | $57,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,690 |
| Florida | $56,220 |
| Nebraska | $55,910 |
| Wisconsin | $55,010 |
| Maine | $54,500 |
| Texas | $54,190 |
| Kentucky | $54,030 |
| Missouri | $53,620 |
| Alabama | $52,050 |
| Indiana | $51,930 |
| Montana | $51,490 |
| Utah | $51,490 |
| Idaho | $50,960 |
| Iowa | $50,520 |
| Tennessee | $50,510 |
| Georgia | $50,010 |
| South Carolina | $49,170 |
| North Carolina | $48,590 |
| New Mexico | $47,880 |
| Louisiana | $47,350 |
| Oklahoma | $46,920 |
| Arkansas | $45,060 |
| West Virginia | $44,900 |
| Delaware | $42,310 |
| Kansas | $39,690 |
| Mississippi | $38,170 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,040 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Recreational Therapists broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $128,380 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $128,380 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $87,960 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $87,960 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $77,820 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $77,820 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $73,220 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $66,000 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $65,770 |
| Educational Services | $65,770 |
| Educational Services | $65,530 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $64,860 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $64,680 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $63,520 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $63,350 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $63,080 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $61,960 |
| Home Health Care Services | $61,010 |
| Hospitals | $60,410 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $60,110 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $57,250 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $57,220 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $56,010 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $55,170 |
| Offices of Physicians | $54,860 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $54,820 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | $54,400 |
| Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | $54,110 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $53,930 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities | $53,420 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $53,300 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | $52,000 |
| Individual and Family Services | $51,750 |
| Social Assistance | $51,750 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $51,010 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $49,920 |
| Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | $49,270 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | $49,120 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $48,860 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $46,230 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $60,280 |
| 2023 | $57,120 |
| 2022 | $51,330 |
| 2021 | $47,940 |
| 2020 | $47,710 |
| 2019 | $48,220 |
| 2018 | $47,860 |
| 2017 | $47,680 |
| 2016 | $46,410 |
| 2015 | $45,890 |
| 2014 | $44,000 |