Recreational Therapists · Pennsylvania

Recreational Therapists Salary in Pennsylvania

Recreational Therapists in Pennsylvania earn a median annual wage of $58,940 —4.9% below the national median of $61,960. That ranks PA #24 of 48 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$58,940
Median hourly
$28.34
Entry level (P10)
$39,690
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$80,340
90th percentile
Employment
720
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-4.9%
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
$39,690
$47,820
$58,940
$65,870
$39,690$58,940$80,340
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $58,940.

Employment is 1.24× as concentrated as the national average, making Pennsylvania a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for recreational therapists

All 48 states ranked by median annual wage. Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Pennsylvania.

OccupationPennsylvania medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$96,430$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,940$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$40,040$45,750
Physicians, All Other$217,310$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$51,680$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$130,140$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do recreational therapists make in Pennsylvania?

The median annual wage for recreational therapists in Pennsylvania is $58,940, or $28.34 per hour. That is 4.9% below the national median of $61,960.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $39,690 per year ($19.08/hour). The 25th percentile is $47,820.

How many people work as recreational therapists in Pennsylvania?

About 720 people work in this occupation in Pennsylvania, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Pennsylvania a good state for recreational therapists?

Pennsylvania ranks #24 of 48 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.24x as concentrated as the national average, making Pennsylvania 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