Recreational Therapist Earnings

The median annual wage for recreational therapists was $47,860 in May 2018. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,590, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $77,050.

In May 2018, the median annual wages for recreational therapists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

• Government: $58,660
• Hospitals; state, local, and private: $50,930
• Ambulatory healthcare services: $46,730
• Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities): $41,210
• Social Assistance: $39,940

Most recreational therapists work full time. Some recreational therapists work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of their patients.

Source: BLS, USDOL