As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Recreational Therapist in the United States is $64,481. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $57,630 to $71,613, with most professionals earning between $51,393 and $78,107.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $71,613 | $5,968 | $1,377 | $34 |
| Average | $64,481 | $5,373 | $1,240 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $57,630 | $4,803 | $1,108 | $28 |
An entry-level Recreational Therapist with less than 1 year of experience earns about $61,034. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $61,540. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $63,975. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $66,923, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $67,449.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Recreational Therapist | $61,034 |
| Intermediate Level Recreational Therapist | $61,540 |
| Senior Level Recreational Therapist | $63,975 |
| Specialist Level Recreational Therapist | $66,923 |
| Expert Level Recreational Therapist | $67,449 |
| Entry Level | 5% |
| Mid Level | 5% |
| Senior Level | 1% |
| Top Level | 4% |
| Experienced | 5% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of March 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Recreational Therapist compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $112,260 in 2023 to approximately $113,619 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Recreational Therapist salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Recreational Therapist information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Recreational Therapist job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Recreational Therapist and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $64,481 | 70.9% | ||
| Bonus | $53 | 0.1% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $4,937 | 5.4% | ||
| 401K/403B | $3,162 | 3.5% | ||
| Disability | $1,033 | 1.1% | ||
| Healthcare | $6,371 | 7.0% | ||
| Pension | $2,710 | 3.0% | ||
| Time Off | $8,191 | 9.0% | ||
| Total Compensation | $90,937 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| High School | 6.0% |
| Associates | 3.7% |
| Bachelors | 69.8% |
| Masters | 19.5% |
| Doctorate | 0.9% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Recreational Therapist is $64,481. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Recreational Therapist is $31; the average weekly pay of Recreational Therapist is $1,240; the average monthly pay of Recreational Therapist is $5,373.
A Recreational Therapist's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Recreational Therapist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Recreational Therapist is $80,923.
The highest pay for Recreational Therapist is $78,107.
The lowest pay for Recreational Therapist is $51,393.
Recreational Therapist plans and directs medically approved therapeutic recreational programs for patients. Organizes activities according to patients' capabilities, needs, and interests. Being a Recreational Therapist conducts programs including symptom management, basic conversation skills, community re-entry, sports, gardening, dramatics, music, social activities, and arts and crafts. Prepares reports for patients' physicians describing individual patient symptoms and reactions to therapeutic programs. Additionally, Recreational Therapist conducts activity therapy assessment of a patient's strengths and needs, and recommends therapeutic activity. Documents progress on each patient. Requires a license/certification to practice from the National Council of Therapeutic Recreation Specialists. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Requires to practice from the National Council of Therapeutic Recreation Specialists. Recreational Therapist's years of experience requirement may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Planning: An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
First Aid: First aid refers to medical attention that is usually administered immediately after the injury occurs and at the location where it occurred.
Discharge Planning: Developing a personalized plan to ensure the smooth transition of a patient from a health organization to the patient's home or residential care.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
