Recreational Therapists Wages
SOC 29-1125 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Recreational Therapists is $57,120 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $37,960 and the 90th percentile is $92,080, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
15,540
P10
$37,960
P25
$46,420
Median
$57,120
P75
$73,150
P90
$92,080
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Recreational Therapists have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $57,120 | $60,910 | $37,960 | $92,080 | 15,540 | — |
| 2022 | $51,330 | $56,310 | $33,930 | $84,410 | 15,920 | -10.14% |
| 2021 | $47,940 | $53,900 | $31,710 | $80,610 | 16,980 | -6.6% |
| 2020 | $47,710 | $51,260 | $31,450 | $79,250 | 20,080 | -0.48% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Recreational Therapists. The highest median is in California at $93,080, 63% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $93,080 | +63% | $89,660 | 1,730 |
| District of Columbia | $81,440 | +42.6% | $83,610 | 60 |
| Nevada | $76,220 | +33.4% | $72,970 | 250 |
| Washington | $69,310 | +21.3% | $72,380 | 170 |
| Connecticut | $65,350 | +14.4% | $68,320 | 240 |
| Minnesota | $64,780 | +13.4% | $65,730 | 230 |
| New Jersey | $64,680 | +13.2% | $69,300 | 420 |
| New York | $63,180 | +10.6% | $66,420 | 1,360 |
| Oregon | $63,070 | +10.4% | $64,030 | 190 |
| Illinois | $61,090 | +7% | $64,350 | 370 |
| Nebraska | $59,360 | +3.9% | $58,430 | 140 |
| Michigan | $59,060 | +3.4% | $58,780 | 530 |
| Arizona | $58,870 | +3.1% | $65,740 | 180 |
| Ohio | $57,400 | +0.5% | $57,010 | 500 |
| New Hampshire | $57,330 | +0.4% | $56,190 | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,590 | -0.9% | $56,430 | 730 |
| Wyoming | $55,800 | -2.3% | $56,970 | 30 |
| Maryland | $55,160 | -3.4% | $55,900 | 420 |
| Colorado | $54,470 | -4.6% | $59,540 | 510 |
| Massachusetts | $53,980 | -5.5% | $58,370 | 360 |
| Florida | $52,540 | -8% | $57,260 | 650 |
| Idaho | $51,830 | -9.3% | $53,890 | 100 |
| Alabama | $51,760 | -9.4% | $54,250 | 280 |
| Arkansas | $51,670 | -9.5% | $57,830 | 50 |
| Virginia | $51,570 | -9.7% | $56,150 | 430 |
| Wisconsin | $51,510 | -9.8% | $54,400 | 430 |
| Texas | $51,390 | -10% | $56,110 | 790 |
| Montana | $50,520 | -11.6% | $56,090 | 30 |
| Indiana | $50,250 | -12% | $50,000 | 260 |
| North Carolina | $49,620 | -13.1% | $52,000 | 450 |
| Utah | $49,590 | -13.2% | $54,210 | 310 |
| South Dakota | $49,420 | -13.5% | $54,460 | 40 |
| Missouri | $48,600 | -14.9% | $52,940 | 350 |
| Iowa | $48,100 | -15.8% | $53,200 | 360 |
| Louisiana | $48,000 | -16% | $49,790 | 190 |
| New Mexico | $47,340 | -17.1% | $61,400 | 100 |
| Tennessee | $47,290 | -17.2% | $49,120 | 190 |
| Kentucky | $46,750 | -18.2% | $49,050 | 250 |
| Georgia | $46,610 | -18.4% | $50,750 | 390 |
| South Carolina | $46,560 | -18.5% | $47,900 | 170 |
| West Virginia | $43,450 | -23.9% | $49,790 | 70 |
| Delaware | $40,700 | -28.7% | $47,470 | 70 |
| Kansas | $38,590 | -32.4% | $40,620 | 600 |
| Mississippi | $36,850 | -35.5% | $42,530 | 200 |
| Oklahoma | $36,140 | -36.7% | $43,450 | 150 |