29 Series · SOC 29-1125
Recreational Therapists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $61,960
- Median / year
- $100,420
- Top 10% earn
- +3.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 14,930
- US workers
Recreational Therapists earn a median of $61,960 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $61,960, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $40,990 (10th percentile) to $100,420 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 14,930 US workers. California pays the most ($98,170), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Recreational Therapists earn a median of $61,960, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 51% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #60 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.3% by 2033.
- $61,960
- Median annual wage
- Top 49%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #60 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 2.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: California at $98,170. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Recreational Therapists (SOC 29-1125) pays a national median of $61,960 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $40,990 at the 10th percentile to $100,420 at the 90th, with a mean of $67,630 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 14,930 Americans work in this occupation across 49 reporting states and 94 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $98,170, which is +58% above the national figure. The top metro is Stockton-Lodi, CA at $115,330 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$61,960
per year
Median Hourly
$29.79/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$67,630
average
Employment
14,930
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Recreational Therapists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$61,960 Top 49% higher than 51% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Recreational Therapists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Recreational Therapists sits on the slower-growing side at +3.3% growth and $61,960 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3.3%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,300
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Recreational Therapists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.
- ▸ Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$40,990
25th Percentile
$50,240
Median
$61,960
75th Percentile
$79,930
90th Percentile
$100,420
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 49 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $98,170 | +58% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $95,640 | +54% above national |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $82,280 | +33% above national |
| 4 | Nevada | $78,730 | +27% above national |
| 5 | Washington | $77,860 | +26% above national |
| 6 | Minnesota | $76,360 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Colorado | $66,580 | +7% above national |
| 8 | Oregon | $66,530 | +7% above national |
| 9 | New York | $65,520 | +6% above national |
| 10 | Hawaii | $64,500 | +4% above national |
| 11 | Maryland | $64,300 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Vermont | $63,380 | +2% above national |
| 13 | Connecticut | $63,240 | +2% above national |
| 14 | Nebraska | $62,980 | +2% above national |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $62,820 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Arizona | $62,610 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Texas | $62,490 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Michigan | $61,700 | same as national |
| 19 | Virginia | $61,270 | 1% below national |
| 20 | Ohio | $60,770 | 2% below national |
| 21 | New Jersey | $60,400 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $59,350 | 4% below national |
| 23 | Kentucky | $59,240 | 4% below national |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $58,940 | 5% below national |
| 25 | Missouri | $58,620 | 5% below national |
| 26 | North Dakota | $58,370 | 6% below national |
| 27 | Florida | $57,980 | 6% below national |
| 28 | Maine | $57,560 | 7% below national |
| 29 | Alabama | $57,360 | 7% below national |
| 30 | Utah | $56,640 | 9% below national |
| 31 | Iowa | $56,140 | 9% below national |
| 32 | Illinois | $54,910 | 11% below national |
| 33 | Indiana | $53,770 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Georgia | $52,010 | 16% below national |
| 35 | Tennessee | $51,910 | 16% below national |
| 36 | Louisiana | $51,150 | 17% below national |
| 37 | Delaware | $51,110 | 18% below national |
| 38 | Montana | $51,110 | 18% below national |
| 39 | North Carolina | $51,030 | 18% below national |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $50,480 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Idaho | $49,720 | 20% below national |
| 42 | New Mexico | $49,210 | 21% below national |
| 43 | West Virginia | $49,010 | 21% below national |
| 44 | South Carolina | $48,880 | 21% below national |
| 45 | South Dakota | $46,850 | 24% below national |
| 46 | Arkansas | $42,670 | 31% below national |
| 47 | Kansas | $40,010 | 35% below national |
| 48 | Mississippi | $39,560 | 36% below national |
| 49 | Puerto Rico | $28,140 | 55% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 94 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $115,330 | +86% above national |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $115,330 | +86% above national |
| 3 | Napa, CA | $107,810 | +74% above national |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $102,420 | +65% above national |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,670 | +64% above national |
| 6 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $98,530 | +59% above national |
| 7 | Fresno, CA | $98,160 | +58% above national |
| 8 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $98,120 | +58% above national |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $91,790 | +48% above national |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $91,740 | +48% above national |
| 11 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $82,660 | +33% above national |
| 12 | Mankato, MN | $81,950 | +32% above national |
| 13 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $78,730 | +27% above national |
| 14 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $73,980 | +19% above national |
| 15 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $72,390 | +17% above national |
| 16 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $72,130 | +16% above national |
| 17 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $71,050 | +15% above national |
| 18 | Ann Arbor, MI | $70,960 | +15% above national |
| 19 | Cleveland, OH | $67,390 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $66,840 | +8% above national |
| 21 | New Haven, CT | $66,740 | +8% above national |
| 22 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $66,050 | +7% above national |
| 23 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $65,940 | +6% above national |
| 24 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $65,080 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $64,700 | +4% above national |
| 26 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $64,500 | +4% above national |
| 27 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $63,950 | +3% above national |
| 28 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $63,950 | +3% above national |
| 29 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $63,800 | +3% above national |
| 30 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $63,740 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $63,710 | +3% above national |
| 32 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,390 | +2% above national |
| 33 | Syracuse, NY | $63,370 | +2% above national |
| 34 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $63,320 | +2% above national |
| 35 | Lincoln, NE | $62,980 | +2% above national |
| 36 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $62,810 | +1% above national |
| 37 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $62,610 | +1% above national |
| 38 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,600 | +1% above national |
| 39 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $62,390 | +1% above national |
| 40 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $62,000 | same as national |
| 41 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,840 | same as national |
| 42 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $61,830 | same as national |
| 43 | Oklahoma City, OK | $61,550 | 1% below national |
| 44 | Richmond, VA | $61,270 | 1% below national |
| 45 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,250 | 1% below national |
| 46 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,000 | 2% below national |
| 47 | Madison, WI | $60,960 | 2% below national |
| 48 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $60,750 | 2% below national |
| 49 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $60,640 | 2% below national |
| 50 | Columbus, OH | $60,590 | 2% below national |
| 51 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $60,550 | 2% below national |
| 52 | Iowa City, IA | $60,140 | 3% below national |
| 53 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $59,560 | 4% below national |
| 54 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $59,340 | 4% below national |
| 55 | Rochester, NY | $58,980 | 5% below national |
| 56 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,970 | 5% below national |
| 57 | Jacksonville, FL | $58,710 | 5% below national |
| 58 | Omaha, NE-IA | $58,630 | 5% below national |
| 59 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $58,110 | 6% below national |
| 60 | Reno, NV | $57,680 | 7% below national |
| 61 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $57,290 | 8% below national |
| 62 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $55,690 | 10% below national |
| 63 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $55,340 | 11% below national |
| 64 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $55,270 | 11% below national |
| 65 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $54,460 | 12% below national |
| 66 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $53,830 | 13% below national |
| 67 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $53,400 | 14% below national |
| 68 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $53,100 | 14% below national |
| 69 | Savannah, GA | $53,080 | 14% below national |
| 70 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $52,960 | 15% below national |
| 71 | Lancaster, PA | $52,820 | 15% below national |
| 72 | Columbus, GA-AL | $52,750 | 15% below national |
| 73 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $52,170 | 16% below national |
| 74 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $52,010 | 16% below national |
| 75 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $52,010 | 16% below national |
| 76 | Winston-Salem, NC | $51,780 | 16% below national |
| 77 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $50,470 | 19% below national |
| 78 | Ogden, UT | $50,400 | 19% below national |
| 79 | Boise City, ID | $49,720 | 20% below national |
| 80 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $48,920 | 21% below national |
| 81 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $48,660 | 21% below national |
| 82 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $48,590 | 22% below national |
| 83 | Baton Rouge, LA | $48,000 | 23% below national |
| 84 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $47,540 | 23% below national |
| 85 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $46,580 | 25% below national |
| 86 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $45,360 | 27% below national |
| 87 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $45,270 | 27% below national |
| 88 | Columbia, SC | $43,730 | 29% below national |
| 89 | Topeka, KS | $42,180 | 32% below national |
| 90 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $39,260 | 37% below national |
| 91 | Jackson, MS | $38,800 | 37% below national |
| 92 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $37,690 | 39% below national |
| 93 | Wichita, KS | $36,780 | 41% below national |
| 94 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $33,610 | 46% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Recreational Therapists make? ▼
What state pays Recreational Therapists the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Recreational Therapists? ▼
How dangerous is being a Recreational Therapists? ▼
Is Recreational Therapists a good career? ▼
How does Recreational Therapists pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Recreational Therapists? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Recreational Therapists pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $79,930/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $98,170/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.