Recreational Therapist salary: $61,960 median, and how to negotiate yours.
The full pay range by percentile, every state, the top-paying metro areas and similar roles, from the latest BLS survey. Place your own offer on the range.
Hourly pay, BLS May 2025: 10th percentile $19.71 · 25th $24.16 · median $29.79 · 75th $38.43 · 90th $48.28.
The median annual wage for recreational therapists in the United States was $61,960 in May 2025 (BLS). The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,990 and the top 10% earned more than $100,420. That median is 1.2 times the $50,980 median for all occupations. The highest-paying state was California ($98,170).
- 10th percentile
- $40,990
- lowest-paid 10% earn less
- 25th percentile
- $50,240
- a quarter earn less
- 75th percentile
- $79,930
- a quarter earn more
- 90th percentile
- $100,420
- top 10% earn more
More on recreational therapist pay
The median hourly wage for recreational therapists in the United States was $29.79 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
The middle half of recreational therapists in the United States earned between $50,240 and $79,930 a year in May 2025 (25th to 75th percentile, BLS).
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
The lowest-paid 10% of recreational therapists in the United States earned less than $40,990 a year in May 2025, and the top 10% more than $100,420 (BLS).
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
The mean annual wage for recreational therapists in the United States was $67,630 in May 2025, according to BLS; the mean is a different measure from the median.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS estimated that 14,930 people were employed as recreational therapists in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Recreational Therapist salary in every state
Data BLS state estimates, May 2025. 48 states and DC published a median for this occupation. Sort by pay or by number employed.
- California$98,170
- District of Columbia$95,640
- New Hampshire$82,280
- Nevada$78,730
- Washington$77,860
- California1,920
- New York1,230
- Texas800
- Pennsylvania720
- Kansas710
| State | 10th–90th percentile | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $98,170 | $60,940–$115,370 | 1,920 |
| District of Columbia | $95,640 | $50,840–$118,340 | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $82,280 | $53,060–$98,310 | 70 |
| Nevada | $78,730 | $46,380–$98,630 | 400 |
| Washington | $77,860 | $61,070–$108,200 | 240 |
| Minnesota | $76,360 | $55,210–$97,570 | 250 |
| Colorado | $66,580 | $44,530–$88,120 | 200 |
| Oregon | $66,530 | $51,210–$83,780 | 250 |
| New York | $65,520 | $49,940–$91,370 | 1,230 |
| Hawaii | $64,500 | $45,920–$95,040 | 40 |
| Maryland | $64,300 | $39,220–$95,490 | 290 |
| Vermont | $63,380 | $49,830–$79,170 | 40 |
| Connecticut | $63,240 | $46,350–$101,650 | 380 |
| Nebraska | $62,980 | $40,370–$79,080 | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $62,820 | $49,090–$94,890 | 210 |
| Arizona | $62,610 | $49,710–$90,230 | 170 |
| Texas | $62,490 | $36,210–$213,790 | 800 |
| Michigan | $61,700 | $42,270–$73,690 | 590 |
| Virginia | $61,270 | $49,580–$87,020 | 570 |
| Ohio | $60,770 | $46,440–$84,910 | 310 |
| New Jersey | $60,400 | $49,810–$85,580 | 430 |
| Wisconsin | $59,350 | $48,650–$81,330 | 350 |
| Kentucky | $59,240 | $37,850–$77,590 | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,940 | $39,690–$80,340 | 720 |
| Missouri | $58,620 | $43,000–$93,500 | 140 |
| North Dakota | $58,370 | $40,100–$70,570 | 80 |
| Florida | $57,980 | $41,400–$86,610 | 640 |
| Maine | $57,560 | $39,480–$77,130 | 40 |
| Alabama | $57,360 | $43,840–$87,110 | 160 |
| Utah | $56,640 | $31,730–$86,260 | 210 |
| Iowa | $56,140 | $43,580–$81,970 | 230 |
| Illinois | $54,910 | $40,560–$86,190 | 440 |
| Indiana | $53,770 | $38,550–$76,750 | 190 |
| Georgia | $52,010 | $29,330–$92,500 | 530 |
| Tennessee | $51,910 | $37,080–$78,850 | 150 |
| Louisiana | $51,150 | $36,590–$67,220 | 190 |
| Delaware | $51,110 | $42,640–$76,290 | 70 |
| Montana | $51,110 | $38,210–$86,260 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $51,030 | $41,490–$78,340 | 440 |
| Oklahoma | $50,480 | $32,920–$77,910 | 120 |
| Idaho | $49,720 | $39,920–$72,360 | 90 |
| New Mexico | $49,210 | $41,600–$110,470 | 100 |
| West Virginia | $49,010 | $36,580–$118,410 | 130 |
| South Carolina | $48,880 | $38,290–$74,670 | 190 |
| South Dakota | $46,850 | $41,390–$83,780 | 40 |
| Arkansas | $42,670 | $31,130–$82,960 | 70 |
| Kansas | $40,010 | $29,720–$60,720 | 710 |
| Mississippi | $39,560 | $30,570–$65,170 | 140 |
Where the median is highest
Data Metropolitan areas with at least 100 people employed in the occupation, BLS May 2025.
How the pay compares
Data National medians for related occupations (O*NET related roles, BLS pay).
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What OEWS reports by employing industry
Data Median and mean annual wage for recreational therapist jobs in the industries employing the most of them (May 2025).
| Industry | Jobs | Median annual wage | Mean annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | 3,290 | $63,780 | $69,830 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 2,470 | $63,930 | $66,980 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 1,610 | $66,620 | $71,790 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 1,280 | $51,870 | $53,180 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | 1,160 | $47,470 | $49,220 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | 1,050 | $90,230 | $92,270 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates (A_MEDIAN and A_MEAN fields), detailed industries with at least 1,000 such jobs. Since May 2025 OEWS publishes specific values for many wages that used to appear only as “$239,200 or more”; values BLS still marks that way are shown that way. Industry estimates differ; they are not a forecast of anyone's pay after a move.
How this page is built
Wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates for May 2025 (national, state and metropolitan area), for the occupation shown. OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay: they include base pay, commissions, production bonuses and tips, and exclude overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits. Percentiles describe all workers in the occupation, not entry or senior levels.
- Pay at a specific employer, or for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
- Experience level: percentiles are not seniority bands.
- Equity, bonuses outside OEWS's definition, and benefits.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
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