Recreational Therapists · Missouri

Recreational Therapists Salary in Missouri

Recreational Therapists in Missouri earn a median annual wage of $58,620 —5.4% below the national median of $61,960. That ranks MO #25 of 48 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$58,620
Median hourly
$28.18
Entry level (P10)
$43,000
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$93,500
90th percentile
Employment
140
0.0 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-5.4%
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
$43,000
$49,660
$58,620
$67,280
$43,000$58,620$93,500
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $58,620.

Employment is only 0.49× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Missouri.

Highest-paying states for recreational therapists

All 48 states ranked by median annual wage. Missouri 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 Missouri

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Missouri.

OccupationMissouri medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$81,780$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,530$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$40,100$45,750
Physicians, All Other$227,980$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$60,300$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$129,930$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do recreational therapists make in Missouri?

The median annual wage for recreational therapists in Missouri is $58,620, or $28.18 per hour. That is 5.4% below the national median of $61,960.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $43,000 per year ($20.67/hour). The 25th percentile is $49,660.

How many people work as recreational therapists in Missouri?

About 140 people work in this occupation in Missouri, or 0.0 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Missouri a good state for recreational therapists?

Missouri ranks #25 of 48 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.49x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Missouri.

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