Recreational Therapists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for recreational therapistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $67,630 ≈ $33/hr
National median salary $61,960
Total employment 14,930 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.3%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 16,100 → 16,600 (+500)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$95,420
- Texas$90,570
- District of Columbia$88,060
- Washington$81,020
- New Hampshire$78,410
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Kansas$43,550
- Mississippi$45,200
- Arkansas$47,890
- South Carolina$51,870
- Oklahoma$52,540
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $95,420 | $98,170 | $46 | +41.1% | 1,920 |
| 2 | Texas | $90,570 | $62,490 | $44 | +33.9% | 800 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $88,060 | $95,640 | $42 | +30.2% | 50 |
| 4 | Washington | $81,020 | $77,860 | $39 | +19.8% | 240 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $78,410 | $82,280 | $38 | +15.9% | 70 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $75,120 | $76,360 | $36 | +11.1% | 250 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $71,690 | $64,500 | $34 | +6% | 40 |
| 8 | Nevada | $71,530 | $78,730 | $34 | +5.8% | 400 |
| 9 | New York | $68,960 | $65,520 | $33 | +2% | 1,230 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $68,280 | $63,240 | $33 | +1% | 380 |
| 11 | Oregon | $67,670 | $66,530 | $33 | +0.1% | 250 |
| 12 | Colorado | $67,540 | $66,580 | $32 | -0.1% | 200 |
| 13 | Arizona | $67,490 | $62,610 | $32 | -0.2% | 170 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $66,680 | $62,820 | $32 | -1.4% | 210 |
| 15 | Virginia | $66,490 | $61,270 | $32 | -1.7% | 570 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $65,780 | $60,400 | $32 | -2.7% | 430 |
| 17 | Vermont | $65,160 | $63,380 | $31 | -3.7% | 40 |
| 18 | Maryland | $63,340 | $64,300 | $30 | -6.3% | 290 |
| 19 | Ohio | $62,290 | $60,770 | $30 | -7.9% | 310 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $62,180 | $59,350 | $30 | -8.1% | 350 |
| 21 | Missouri | $62,160 | $58,620 | $30 | -8.1% | 140 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $61,680 | $49,210 | $30 | -8.8% | 100 |
| 23 | Michigan | $60,860 | $61,700 | $29 | -10% | 590 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $60,600 | $62,980 | $29 | -10.4% | 150 |
| 25 | Alabama | $60,460 | $57,360 | $29 | -10.6% | 160 |
| 26 | Florida | $60,090 | $57,980 | $29 | -11.1% | 640 |
| 27 | Maine | $60,050 | $57,560 | $29 | -11.2% | 40 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $59,450 | $58,940 | $29 | -12.1% | 720 |
| 29 | Illinois | $59,160 | $54,910 | $28 | -12.5% | 440 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $59,120 | $49,010 | $28 | -12.6% | 130 |
| 31 | Iowa | $59,030 | $56,140 | $28 | -12.7% | 230 |
| 32 | Utah | $58,520 | $56,640 | $28 | -13.5% | 210 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $58,460 | $59,240 | $28 | -13.6% | 100 |
| 34 | Georgia | $58,080 | $52,010 | $28 | -14.1% | 530 |
| 35 | Montana | $57,730 | $51,110 | $28 | -14.6% | 40 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $56,980 | $58,370 | $27 | -15.7% | 80 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $55,950 | $51,030 | $27 | -17.3% | 440 |
| 38 | Indiana | $55,700 | $53,770 | $27 | -17.6% | 190 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $55,030 | $51,910 | $26 | -18.6% | 150 |
| 40 | Idaho | $54,920 | $49,720 | $26 | -18.8% | 90 |
| 41 | Delaware | $54,860 | $51,110 | $26 | -18.9% | 70 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $53,620 | $46,850 | $26 | -20.7% | 40 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $53,360 | $51,150 | $26 | -21.1% | 190 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $52,540 | $50,480 | $25 | -22.3% | 120 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $51,870 | $48,880 | $25 | -23.3% | 190 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $47,890 | $42,670 | $23 | -29.2% | 70 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $45,200 | $39,560 | $22 | -33.2% | 140 |
| 48 | Kansas | $43,550 | $40,010 | $21 | -35.6% | 710 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 94 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $115,330 | $107,870 | 50 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $115,330 | $103,260 | 50 |
| 3 | Napa, CA | $107,810 | $109,290 | 150 |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $102,420 | $103,380 | 190 |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,670 | $99,100 | 60 |
| 6 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $98,530 | $95,640 | 90 |
| 7 | Fresno, CA | $98,160 | $97,480 | 150 |
| 8 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $98,120 | $84,610 | 340 |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $91,790 | $91,830 | 90 |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $91,740 | $89,800 | 380 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing recreational therapistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $90,230 | $92,270 | 1,050 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $90,230 | $92,270 | 1,050 |
| 3 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $79,910 | $77,980 | 3,130 |
| 4 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $79,910 | $77,980 | 3,130 |
| 5 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $79,260 | $80,460 | 40 |
| 6 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, Local Government Owned | $79,260 | $81,300 | 40 |
| 7 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $76,620 | $76,920 | 5,700 |
| 8 | Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals, State Government Owned | $76,230 | $77,310 | 1,850 |
| 9 | Administrative and Support Services | $73,000 | $77,670 | 190 |
| 10 | Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $73,000 | $77,670 | 190 |
| 11 | Hospitals, State Government Owned | $71,860 | $75,940 | 2,080 |
| 12 | Employment Services | $71,050 | $75,240 | 170 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do recreational therapists make in the U.S.?
The median recreational therapists salary in the United States is $61,960 per year (mean $67,630), and about 80% earn between $40,990 and $100,420.
How much do recreational therapists make per hour?
Roughly $33 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $67,630 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays recreational therapists the most?
California has the highest average pay for recreational therapists at $95,420 per year (median $98,170).
What is the job outlook for recreational therapists?
Employment is projected to change +3.3% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,300 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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