Recreational Therapists · Michigan

Recreational Therapists Salary in Michigan

Recreational Therapists in Michigan earn a median annual wage of $61,700 —0.4% below the national median of $61,960. That ranks MI #18 of 48 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$61,700
Median hourly
$29.66
Entry level (P10)
$42,270
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$73,690
90th percentile
Employment
590
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-0.4%
U.S. $61,960

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$42,270
$51,180
$61,700
$72,010
$42,270$61,700$73,690
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $61,700.

Employment is 1.39× as concentrated as the national average, making Michigan a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for recreational therapists

All 48 states ranked by median annual wage. Michigan is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1California$98,170$47.201,9201.10
2District of Columbia$95,640$45.98500.79
3New Hampshire$82,280$39.56701.11
4Nevada$78,730$37.854002.66
5Washington$77,860$37.442400.69
6Minnesota$76,360$36.712500.89
7Colorado$66,580$32.012000.73
8Oregon$66,530$31.992501.34
9New York$65,520$31.501,2301.33
10Hawaii$64,500$31.01400.65

Related occupations in Michigan

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Michigan.

OccupationMichigan medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$94,300$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,460$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$44,340$45,750
Physicians, All Other$155,480$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$61,260$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$131,450$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do recreational therapists make in Michigan?

The median annual wage for recreational therapists in Michigan is $61,700, or $29.66 per hour. That is 0.4% below the national median of $61,960.

What is the entry-level recreational therapists salary in Michigan?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $42,270 per year ($20.32/hour). The 25th percentile is $51,180.

How many people work as recreational therapists in Michigan?

About 590 people work in this occupation in Michigan, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Michigan a good state for recreational therapists?

Michigan ranks #18 of 48 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.39x as concentrated as the national average, making Michigan a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays recreational therapists the most?

California has the highest median wage at $98,170 per year, followed by District of Columbia ($95,640) and New Hampshire ($82,280).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes