The median annual wage for recreational therapists was $45,890 in May 2015.
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 $28,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $71,790.
In May 2015, the median annual wages for recreational therapists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Government
$55,500
Hospitals; state, local, and private
48,320
Ambulatory healthcare services
46,200
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)
39,990
Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly
37,250
Most recreational therapists work full time, although about 1 in 4 worked part time in 2014. Some recreational therapists work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of their patients.
Recreational Therapists
Median annual wages, May 2015
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners
$76,760
Recreational therapists
$45,890
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics