Recreational Therapists · Virginia

Recreational Therapists Salary in Virginia

Recreational Therapists in Virginia earn a median annual wage of $61,270 —1.1% below the national median of $61,960. That ranks VA #19 of 48 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$61,270
Median hourly
$29.46
Entry level (P10)
$49,580
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$87,020
90th percentile
Employment
570
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-1.1%
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
$49,580
$55,520
$61,270
$78,170
$49,580$61,270$87,020
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $61,270.

Employment is 1.43× as concentrated as the national average, making Virginia a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for recreational therapists

All 48 states ranked by median annual wage. Virginia 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 Virginia

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Virginia.

OccupationVirginia medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$93,600$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,920$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$44,610$45,750
Physicians, All Other$278,530$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$61,050$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$127,810$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do recreational therapists make in Virginia?

The median annual wage for recreational therapists in Virginia is $61,270, or $29.46 per hour. That is 1.1% below the national median of $61,960.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $49,580 per year ($23.84/hour). The 25th percentile is $55,520.

How many people work as recreational therapists in Virginia?

About 570 people work in this occupation in Virginia, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Virginia a good state for recreational therapists?

Virginia ranks #19 of 48 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.43x as concentrated as the national average, making Virginia 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