Recreational Therapists · New Jersey

Recreational Therapists Salary in New Jersey

Recreational Therapists in New Jersey earn a median annual wage of $60,400 —2.5% below the national median of $61,960. That ranks NJ #21 of 48 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$60,400
Median hourly
$29.04
Entry level (P10)
$49,810
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$85,580
90th percentile
Employment
430
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-2.5%
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
$49,810
$55,890
$60,400
$75,180
$49,810$60,400$85,580
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $60,400.

Employment concentration (1.03×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for recreational therapists

All 48 states ranked by median annual wage. New Jersey 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 New Jersey

Occupations in the same job family, compared within New Jersey.

OccupationNew Jersey medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$106,500$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,160$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$39,610$45,750
Physicians, All Other$285,010$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$68,450$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$159,310$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do recreational therapists make in New Jersey?

The median annual wage for recreational therapists in New Jersey is $60,400, or $29.04 per hour. That is 2.5% below the national median of $61,960.

What is the entry-level recreational therapists salary in New Jersey?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $49,810 per year ($23.95/hour). The 25th percentile is $55,890.

How many people work as recreational therapists in New Jersey?

About 430 people work in this occupation in New Jersey, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is New Jersey a good state for recreational therapists?

New Jersey ranks #21 of 48 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.03x) is close to the national average.

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