Recreational Therapists · New York

Recreational Therapists Salary in New York

Recreational Therapists in New York earn a median annual wage of $65,520 —5.7% above the national median of $61,960. That ranks NY #9 of 48 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$65,520
Median hourly
$31.50
Entry level (P10)
$49,940
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$91,370
90th percentile
Employment
1,230
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+5.7%
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
$49,940
$57,980
$65,520
$78,180
$49,940$65,520$91,370
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $65,520.

Employment is 1.33× as concentrated as the national average, making New York a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for recreational therapists

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

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

OccupationNew York medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$109,440$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$67,180$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$43,930$45,750
Physicians, All Other$242,500$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$97,280$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$153,510$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do recreational therapists make in New York?

The median annual wage for recreational therapists in New York is $65,520, or $31.50 per hour. That is 5.7% above the national median of $61,960.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $49,940 per year ($24.01/hour). The 25th percentile is $57,980.

How many people work as recreational therapists in New York?

About 1,230 people work in this occupation in New York, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is New York a good state for recreational therapists?

New York ranks #9 of 48 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.33x as concentrated as the national average, making New York 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