Orthotists and Prosthetists
Median wage · national
$81,110
Range: $61K – $100K
Employed
9K
Openings/yr
700
Typically: master's degree
HEALTH
Recreational Therapists
Recreational Therapists earn $61,960 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $50,240 and $79,930. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Recreational Therapists
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a recreational therapists: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Rehabilitation and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
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.
- Median Wage
- $61,960
- Employed Nationally
- 15K
- Openings / Year
- 1,400
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Activities Coordinator
Activities Therapist
Activity Therapist
Adventure Therapist
Certified Recreational Therapist
How Much Do Recreational Therapists Make?
Most recreational therapists take home around $61,960 a year, about what a typical college graduate makes. Half earn somewhere between $50,240 and $79,930, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$61,960
National Median (Annual)
Near the national median for college graduates.
$50K–$80K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$50,240
Entry-level
$61,960
Median
$79,930
Experienced
What Do Recreational Therapists Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
- Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
- Plan, organize, direct, and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community, and prevent further medical problems.
- Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
- Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests, and objectives of therapy.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Service Orientation
Active Listening
Speaking
Social Perceptiveness
Coordination
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
R
Realistic
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
Where Do Recreational Therapists Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Recreational Therapists?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +4.8%, meaning it is growing at about the same pace as everything else, so expect steady demand. Around 1,400 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +4.8%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
About as fast as average.
1,400
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
15K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Recreational Therapists professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $61,960 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,920 | $98,170 | +58.4% |
| 2 | New York | 1,230 | $65,520 | +5.7% |
| 3 | Texas | 800 | $62,490 | +0.9% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 720 | $58,940 | -4.9% |
| 5 | Kansas | 710 | $40,010 | -35.4% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rehabilitation | 29,934 | $55,792 | 609 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Recreational Therapists
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | 90 | $11,655 | $72,200 |
| 3 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | 90 | $10,440 | $64,403 |
| 4 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | 90 | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| 5 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | 90 | $11,297 | $61,675 |
| 6 | Florida International University Miami, FL | 90 | $9,288 | $60,249 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Recreational Therapists, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Recreational Therapists pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Recreational Therapists Pros & Cons
The data on Recreational Therapists shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
PROS
- Competitive salary $61,960 median wage puts this career near or above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- Steady job outlook The BLS projects +4.8% growth through 2035, keeping pace with the national average. Demand is stable and annual openings remain consistent.
CONS
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $61,960 median while building the experience employers require.
Recreational Therapists Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Recreational Therapists professionals earn?
Around $61,960 a year for the typical worker, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $50,240 and $79,930. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Recreational Therapists a good career?
For people genuinely interested in the work, yes. At $61,960 median, with +4.8% projected growth through 2035, there is a real financial case and a stable market for new entrants. Compare program net price against local salary outcomes (not just the national median) before committing.
How long does it take to work as Recreational Therapists?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Rehabilitation are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $61,960 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Recreational Therapists?
Employment is projected to change by +4.8% through 2035, about as fast as average compared with other occupations. Around 1,400 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 15K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Recreational Therapists professionals need?
Mainly Service Orientation, Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, and Coordination. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
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10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
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Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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