Recreational Therapists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for recreational therapists is $61,960, or $29.79 per hour. About 14,930 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $98,170 in California to $39,560 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 48 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $98,170 | $47.20 | 1,920 | 1.10 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $95,640 | $45.98 | 50 | 0.79 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $82,280 | $39.56 | 70 | 1.11 |
| 4 | Nevada | $78,730 | $37.85 | 400 | 2.66 |
| 5 | Washington | $77,860 | $37.44 | 240 | 0.69 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $76,360 | $36.71 | 250 | 0.89 |
| 7 | Colorado | $66,580 | $32.01 | 200 | 0.73 |
| 8 | Oregon | $66,530 | $31.99 | 250 | 1.34 |
| 9 | New York | $65,520 | $31.50 | 1,230 | 1.33 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $64,500 | $31.01 | 40 | 0.65 |
| 11 | Maryland | $64,300 | $30.91 | 290 | 1.09 |
| 12 | Vermont | $63,380 | $30.47 | 40 | 1.23 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $63,240 | $30.40 | 380 | 2.30 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $62,980 | $30.28 | 150 | 1.57 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $62,820 | $30.20 | 210 | 0.61 |
| 16 | Arizona | $62,610 | $30.10 | 170 | 0.53 |
| 17 | Texas | $62,490 | $30.04 | 800 | 0.59 |
| 18 | Michigan | $61,700 | $29.66 | 590 | 1.39 |
| 19 | Virginia | $61,270 | $29.46 | 570 | 1.43 |
| 20 | Ohio | $60,770 | $29.22 | 310 | 0.58 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $60,400 | $29.04 | 430 | 1.03 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $59,350 | $28.54 | 350 | 1.24 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $59,240 | $28.48 | 100 | 0.51 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $58,940 | $28.34 | 720 | 1.24 |
| 25 | Missouri | $58,620 | $28.18 | 140 | 0.49 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $58,370 | $28.06 | 80 | 1.84 |
| 27 | Florida | $57,980 | $27.87 | 640 | 0.67 |
| 28 | Maine | $57,560 | $27.67 | 40 | 0.58 |
| 29 | Alabama | $57,360 | $27.58 | 160 | 0.77 |
| 30 | Utah | $56,640 | $27.23 | 210 | 1.26 |
| 31 | Iowa | $56,140 | $26.99 | 230 | 1.55 |
| 32 | Illinois | $54,910 | $26.40 | 440 | 0.75 |
| 33 | Indiana | $53,770 | $25.85 | 190 | 0.62 |
| 34 | Georgia | $52,010 | $25.00 | 530 | 1.12 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $51,910 | $24.96 | 150 | 0.49 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $51,150 | $24.59 | 190 | 1.02 |
| 37 | Montana | $51,110 | $24.57 | 40 | 0.75 |
| 38 | Delaware | $51,110 | $24.57 | 70 | 1.61 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $51,030 | $24.53 | 440 | 0.93 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $50,480 | $24.27 | 120 | 0.72 |
| 41 | Idaho | $49,720 | $23.90 | 90 | 1.13 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $49,210 | $23.66 | 100 | 1.18 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $49,010 | $23.56 | 130 | 1.93 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $48,880 | $23.50 | 190 | 0.84 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $46,850 | $22.53 | 40 | 0.99 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $42,670 | $20.52 | 70 | 0.60 |
| 47 | Kansas | $40,010 | $19.24 | 710 | 5.11 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $39,560 | $19.02 | 140 | 1.26 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do recreational therapists make?
The median annual wage for recreational therapists in the United States is $61,960, or $29.79 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $40,990, and the top 10% earn $100,420.
How many recreational therapists are employed in the U.S.?
About 14,930 people work as recreational therapists nationwide.
Which state pays recreational therapists the most?
California pays the most at a median of $98,170, followed by District of Columbia ($95,640) and New Hampshire ($82,280).
Which state pays recreational therapists the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $39,560.
Where are recreational therapists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Kansas at 5.11×.