What are the main factors that influence a Recreational Therapy Aide's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a Recreational Therapy Aide's salary?

A Recreational Therapy Aide's salary grows with experience: starting around $82,923 for beginners, reaching about $86,328 at mid-level, and approach $92,192 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Recreational Therapy Aide?

Recreational Therapy Aide salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Recreational Therapy Aide roles are District of Columbia $97,938, California $97,566, Massachusetts $96,266. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Recreational Therapy Aide roles make?

Salaries for Recreational Therapy Aide level roles vary by specialization: Director of Recreational Therapy: $91,900; Recreational Therapy Director: $91,812; Speech Therapy Aide: $81,311; Recreational Therapist: $67,955; Recreational Therapy Assistant: $67,554.

How do different companies affect a Recreational Therapy Aide's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Recreational Therapy Aide roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Recreational Therapy Aide Salary in the United States

How much does a Recreational Therapy Aide make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Recreational Therapy Aide in the United States is $88,455 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.

However, a Recreational Therapy Aide's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $120,084
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $73,136 to $105,011
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $59,189

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Recreational Therapy Aide Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$105,011	$8,751	$2,019	$50
Average	$88,455	$7,371	$1,701	$43
25th Percentile	$73,136	$6,095	$1,406	$35

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Recreational Therapy Aide Salaries

A Recreational Therapy Aide's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Recreational Therapy Aide Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Recreational Therapy Aide's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $82,923
Early Career (1-2 years): $84,200
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $86,328
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $88,455
Expert (over 8 years): $92,192

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Recreational Therapy Aide	$82,923
Intermediate Level Recreational Therapy Aide	$84,200
Senior Level Recreational Therapy Aide	$86,328
Specialist Level Recreational Therapy Aide	$88,455
Expert Level Recreational Therapy Aide	$92,192

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How Do Recreational Therapy Aide Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Recreational Therapy Aides. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $97,938.
California: $97,566.
Massachusetts: $96,266.

District of Columbia $97,938 California $97,566 Massachusetts $96,266 Washington $95,912 New Jersey $95,877 Alaska $95,753 Connecticut $94,532 New York $94,037

Hawaii $92,453 Rhode Island $91,710 Maryland $91,206 Minnesota $90,516 Colorado $90,251 Illinois $90,162 Oregon $89,826 Delaware $89,579

New Hampshire $89,423 Virginia $89,074 Pennsylvania $88,057 Nevada $87,544 North Dakota $87,376 Michigan $87,111 Wisconsin $87,013 Vermont $86,819

Texas $86,279 Maine $86,244 Arizona $86,191 Ohio $86,129 Georgia $85,315 Indiana $84,908 Wyoming $84,829 Utah $84,705

Iowa $84,652 Kansas $84,227 Louisiana $84,103 North Carolina $84,059 Missouri $84,041 Florida $83,696 Montana $83,511 Nebraska $83,334

Kentucky $83,236 South Carolina $82,883 Tennessee $82,661 Idaho $82,573 New Mexico $81,927 Oklahoma $81,786 Alabama $81,264 South Dakota $80,388

Arkansas $79,911 West Virginia $79,654 Mississippi $78,884

Top Paying Cities for Recreational Therapy Aides

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $111,569
San Francisco: $110,472
Oakland: $108,022

San Jose, CA $111,569

San Francisco, CA $110,472

Oakland, CA $108,022

New York, NY $102,511

Queens Village, NY $101,847

Paramus, NJ $101,140

Passaic, NJ $101,051

Bergenfield, NJ $100,963

Stamford, CT $100,830

Huntington, NY $100,742

Newark, NJ $100,167

Bridgeport, CT $99,990

New Brunswick, NJ $99,698

Vallejo, CA $99,512

Middlesex, NJ $99,459

Somerset, NJ $99,380

Petaluma, CA $99,176

Santa Cruz, CA $98,831

Boston, MA $98,654

Monterey, CA $98,212

Fairbanks, AK $98,150

Los Angeles, CA $97,982

Washington, DC $97,938

Seattle, WA $97,778

Santa Rosa, CA $97,761

Juneau, AK $97,504

Orange, CA $97,212

Anchorage, AK $97,053

Anaheim, CA $96,991

Santa Ana, CA $96,859

Nassau, NY $96,805

Long Beach, CA $96,770

Danbury, CT $96,744

Santa Maria, CA $96,443

Everett, WA $96,425

Bremerton, WA $95,992

Trenton, NJ $95,824

Sacramento, CA $95,788

San Diego, CA $95,744

Brockton, MA $95,709

Tacoma, WA $95,673

Santa Barbara, CA $95,549

Lowell, MA $95,196

New Suffolk, NY $95,160

Nashua, NH $95,054

Lompoc, CA $94,913

Ventura, CA $94,824

Stockton, CA $94,798

New Haven, CT $94,621

Atlantic City, NJ $94,391

Hartford, CT $94,196

Modesto, CA $94,152

Poughkeepsie, NY $93,957

New Britain, CT $93,913

Olympia, WA $93,789

Kennewick, WA $93,789

New London, CT $93,771

Norwich, CT $93,745

Lawrence, MA $93,701

Bakersfield, CA $93,453

Riverside, CA $93,329

New Bedford, MA $93,329

Richland, WA $93,241

Portsmouth, NH $93,170

Vineland, NJ $93,152

San Bernardino, CA $93,082

Boulder, CO $92,834

Worcester, MA $92,763

Portland, OR $92,683

Saint Paul, MN $92,577

Minneapolis, MN $92,577

Philadelphia, PA $92,453

Honolulu, HI $91,985

Springfield, MA $91,675

Providence, RI $91,666

Chicago, IL $91,410

Bellingham, WA $91,304

Baltimore, MD $91,206

Chico, CA $90,985

Wilmington, DE $90,835

Pittsfield, MA $90,746

Manchester, NH $90,578

Spokane, WA $90,189

Denver, CO $90,180

Albany, NY $89,764

Troy, NY $89,729

Schenectady, NY $89,543

Burlington, VT $89,349

Portland, ME $89,039

Salem, OR $88,968

Yakima, WA $88,951

Ann Arbor, MI $88,924

Rochester, MN $88,676

Fresno, CA $88,632

Reno, NV $88,632

Milwaukee, WI $88,553

Detroit, MI $88,464

Allentown, PA $88,438

Carson City, NV $88,429

Houston, TX $88,296

Colorado Springs, CO $88,287

Syracuse, NY $88,243

Eugene, OR $88,075

Bismarck, ND $87,969

Gary, IN $87,969

Galveston, TX $87,969

Springfield, OR $87,898

Medford, OR $87,686

Fort Collins, CO $87,650

Austin, TX $87,580

Mesa, AZ $87,394

Phoenix, AZ $87,376

Dallas, TX $87,350

Reading, PA $87,297

Saint Cloud, MN $87,261

Concord, NH $87,182

Madison, WI $87,146

Utica, NY $86,907

Raleigh, NC $86,837

Las Vegas, NV $86,828

Rochester, NY $86,766

Des Moines, IA $86,757

Atlanta, GA $86,615

Battle Creek, MI $86,589

Salt Lake City, UT $86,562

Lancaster, PA $86,430

Champaign, IL $86,412

Harrisburg, PA $86,306

Durham, NC $86,226

Kansas City, MO $86,217

Kansas City, KS $86,200

Fort Worth, TX $86,191

Boca Raton, FL $86,155

Cleveland, OH $86,147

Columbus, OH $86,129

Pittsburgh, PA $86,120

Richmond, VA $86,085

Indianapolis, IN $86,067

Cincinnati, OH $85,952

Petersburg, VA $85,819

Billings, MT $85,625

Lansing, MI $85,625

Huntsville, AL $85,625

Lebanon, PA $85,616

Dayton, OH $85,607

Pueblo, CO $85,607

Appleton, WI $85,581

Buffalo, NY $85,545

Racine, WI $85,501

Charlotte, NC $85,492

Saint Louis, MO $85,466

Springfield, IL $85,430

Elkhart, IN $85,412

York, PA $85,412

Gastonia, NC $85,404

Benton Harbor, MI $85,404

Beaumont, TX $85,351

Lorain, OH $85,333

Toledo, OH $85,297

Binghamton, NY $85,253

Rock Hill, SC $85,244

Rockford, IL $85,200

Fargo, ND $85,156

Elyria, OH $85,156

Flagstaff, AZ $85,094

Fort Lauderdale, FL $85,041

Miami, FL $84,988

Duluth, MN $84,846

Bangor, ME $84,731

Cedar Rapids, IA $84,634

Louisville, KY $84,590

Grand Rapids, MI $84,572

Hialeah, FL $84,563

Casper, WY $84,439

Scranton, PA $84,333

New Orleans, LA $84,307

Virginia Beach, VA $84,298

Akron, OH $84,254

Peoria, IL $84,139

Sarasota, FL $84,121

Green Bay, WI $84,059

Baton Rouge, LA $84,015

Charleston, SC $83,997

Nashville, TN $83,971

Jamestown, NY $83,953

Davenport, IA $83,953

Tucson, AZ $83,909

Cheyenne, WY $83,882

Saint Petersburg, FL $83,856

Tampa, FL $83,838

Omaha, NE $83,820

Port Arthur, TX $83,785

Evansville, IN $83,785

Bradenton, FL $83,749

Santa Fe, NM $83,590

Orlando, FL $83,502

Clearwater, FL $83,405

Canton, OH $83,219

La Crosse, WI $83,219

Grand Forks, ND $83,192

Albuquerque, NM $83,166

Tulsa, OK $83,166

Newport News, VA $83,157

High Point, NC $83,130

Ogden, UT $83,095

Corpus Christi, TX $83,024

Laramie, WY $82,971

Norfolk, VA $82,971

Rock Island, IL $82,918

Saginaw, MI $82,900

Jacksonville, FL $82,891

Salisbury, NC $82,874

Memphis, TN $82,856

Moline, IL $82,812

Fort Myers, FL $82,785

Waterloo, IA $82,670

Spartanburg, SC $82,582

Lincoln, NE $82,538

Fort Wayne, IN $82,520

Birmingham, AL $82,423

Cedar Falls, IA $82,405

Provo, UT $82,396

Springfield, OH $82,387

San Antonio, TX $82,370

Greensboro, NC $82,334

South Bend, IN $82,325

Winston Salem, NC $82,317

Boise, ID $82,290

Savannah, GA $82,228

Muskegon, MI $82,069

Lima, OH $81,963

Lake Charles, LA $81,927

Anderson, IN $81,910

Lexington, KY $81,883

Augusta, GA $81,857

Greenville, SC $81,857

Wichita, KS $81,777

Tuscaloosa, AL $81,777

Columbia, SC $81,697

Bloomington, IN $81,476

Roanoke, VA $81,423

Asheville, NC $81,308

Knoxville, TN $81,158

Shreveport, LA $81,149

Wilmington, NC $81,034

Frankfort, KY $80,866

Oklahoma City, OK $80,804

Chillicothe, OH $80,769

Longview, TX $80,760

Topeka, KS $80,733

Mobile, AL $80,600

Terre Haute, IN $80,565

Erie, PA $80,556

Altoona, PA $80,512

Melbourne, FL $80,485

Amarillo, TX $80,450

Killeen, TX $80,424

Fayetteville, AR $80,353

Sioux Falls, SD $80,291

Chattanooga, TN $80,238

Idaho Falls, ID $80,229

Gainesville, FL $80,043

Portsmouth, OH $79,999

Little Rock, AR $79,981

Lynchburg, VA $79,981

Lafayette, LA $79,946

Youngstown, OH $79,946

Temple, TX $79,911

Daytona Beach, FL $79,893

Clarksville, TN $79,884

Pensacola, FL $79,875

Hopkinsville, KY $79,610

Charleston, WV $79,601

Florence, SC $79,557

Sioux City, IA $79,504

Macon, GA $79,247

Tallahassee, FL $79,238

Fayetteville, NC $79,221

Waco, TX $79,203

Wichita Falls, TX $79,203

Pine Bluff, AR $79,167

Vincennes, IN $78,999

Lubbock, TX $78,964

Great Falls, MT $78,911

Alamogordo, NM $78,902

Abilene, TX $78,831

Rapid City, SD $78,716

Monroe, LA $78,716

Albany, GA $78,663

Huntington, WV $78,654

Jackson, MS $78,646

Greenville, MS $78,637

Parkersburg, WV $78,548

Montgomery, AL $78,531

Johnstown, PA $78,513

Springfield, MO $78,442

Biloxi, MS $78,398

Sumter, SC $78,212

Columbus, GA $78,203

Twin Falls, ID $78,150

Pascagoula, MS $78,035

Kingsport, TN $77,805

Gulfport, MS $77,779

Alexandria, LA $77,487

Fort Smith, AR $77,266

El Paso, TX $77,027

Helena, MT $76,912

Las Cruces, NM $76,629

Harlingen, TX $76,381

Pocatello, ID $76,302

Florence, AL $76,275

Brownsville, TX $76,257

Dothan, AL $76,116

Mcallen, TX $76,072

Columbus, MS $75,417

Altus, OK $75,010

Lawton, OK $74,842

Pierre, SD $74,524

What Skills Can Increase a Recreational Therapy Aide's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 12.62% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Assisted Living (Mentioned in 0.97% Job Postings): Assisted living exemplifies the shift from "care as service" to "care as business" in the broader health care arena predicted more than three decades ago. A consumer-driven industry, assisted living offers a wide range of options, levels of care, and diversity of services (Lockhart, 2009) and is subject to state rather than federal regulatory oversight. "Assisted living" means depends on both the state and provider in question: variations in state regulatory definitions are significant and provider variables include everything from philosophy, geographic location and auspice, to organizational size and structure.
Quality Assurance (Mentioned in 0.73% Job Postings): Verifying the adherence of product with required specifications and expectations to track and resolve deficiencies prior to product release.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	12.62%
Assisted Living	0.97%
Quality Assurance	0.73%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Recreational Therapy Aide's salary.

Attention to Detail: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Interviewing: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Attention to Detail	$93,763	6%
Interviewing	$92,878	5%
Coaching	$92,878	5%
Long Term Care	$91,994	4%
Planning	$91,994	4%
Leadership	$91,994	4%

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How Education impacts a Recreational Therapy Aide's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Recreational Therapy Aides enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Recreational Therapy Aide with a Bachelor's Degree is between $101,844 and $119,738).

Recreational Therapy Aide Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Recreational Therapy Aide

No Diploma 1.5%

High School 6.2%

Associates 1.5%

Bachelors 69.2%

Masters 21.5%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.5%
High School	6.2%
Associates	1.5%
Bachelors	69.2%
Masters	21.5%
Doctorate	0.0%

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Recreational Therapy Aide Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Recreational Therapy Aide's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$73,136

Average $88,455/year

$105,011

$6,095

Average $7,371/month

$8,751

$1,406

Average $1,701/week

$2,019

$35

Average $43/hour

$50

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$105,011	$8,751	$2,019	$50
Average	$88,455	$7,371	$1,701	$43
25th Percentile	$73,136	$6,095	$1,406	$35

Salaries of jobs related to Recreational Therapy Aide

Salary Trends for Recreational Therapy Aide

Salaries for a Recreational Therapy Aide can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $109,799 in 2023 to around $110,657 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Recreational Therapy Aide salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Recreational Therapy Aide Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$109,799

2024

$111,088

2025

$110,657

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$109,799
2024	$111,088
2025	$110,657
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Recreational Therapy Aide

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

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