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The national median salary for Recreational Therapists is $61,963 per year ($29.79/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $50,253 and $79,934 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $100,422 per year. There are approximately 14,930 recreational therapists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.3%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
16K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
4% from new growth96% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals
NAICS 622200
3K
$63,780
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
2K
$63,930
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
2K
$66,620
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
NAICS 623100
1K
$51,870
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly
NAICS 623300
1K
$47,470
Wage range across top 5 industries: $47,470 to $66,620 (40% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$19.71
$40,997
P25
$24.16
$50,253
P50MEDIAN
$29.79
$61,963
P75
$38.43
$79,934
P90
$48.28
$100,422
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average recreational therapists salary?
The national median salary for Recreational Therapists is $61,963 per year ($29.79/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $50,253 and $79,934 annually.
How much do top-earning recreational therapists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Recreational Therapists is $100,422 per year ($48.28/hr). The 75th percentile is $79,934 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for recreational therapists?
Entry-level Recreational Therapists (10th percentile) earn approximately $40,997 per year ($19.71/hr). The 25th percentile is $50,253 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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