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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

29-1125 Recreational Therapists

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. Excludes “Recreation Workers” (39-9032).


National estimates for Recreational Therapists
Industry profile for Recreational Therapists
Geographic profile for Recreational Therapists

National estimates for Recreational Therapists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Recreational Therapists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
15,920 1.4 % $ 27.07 $ 56,310 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Recreational Therapists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.31 $ 20.00 $ 24.68 $ 31.99 $ 40.58
Annual Wage (2) $ 33,930 $ 41,600 $ 51,330 $ 66,530 $ 84,410


Industry profile for Recreational Therapists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Recreational Therapists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Recreational Therapists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Recreational Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 3,080 1.33 $ 27.31 $ 56,800
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,640 0.05 $ 28.61 $ 59,500
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 2,610 0.19 $ 22.49 $ 46,780
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,600 0.08 $ 28.85 $ 60,010
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 1,280 0.15 $ 20.44 $ 42,510

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Recreational Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 3,080 1.33 $ 27.31 $ 56,800
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 2,610 0.19 $ 22.49 $ 46,780
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 440 0.16 $ 27.91 $ 58,050
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 1,280 0.15 $ 20.44 $ 42,510
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,600 0.08 $ 28.85 $ 60,010

Top paying industries for Recreational Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 210 0.01 $ 40.76 $ 84,770
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,020 0.05 $ 38.68 $ 80,450
Home Health Care Services 270 0.02 $ 31.50 $ 65,520
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 80 (7) $ 29.46 $ 61,270
Elementary and Secondary Schools 150 (7) $ 29.31 $ 60,960


Geographic profile for Recreational Therapists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Recreational Therapists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Recreational Therapists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of recreational therapists by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Recreational Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,580 0.09 0.83 $ 37.59 $ 78,190
New York 1,430 0.16 1.46 $ 30.39 $ 63,210
Texas 890 0.07 0.64 $ 26.47 $ 55,050
Pennsylvania 800 0.14 1.28 $ 25.64 $ 53,340
Florida 700 0.08 0.71 $ 26.10 $ 54,280


Map of location quotient of recreational therapists by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Recreational Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas 670 0.49 4.54 $ 17.67 $ 36,750
Iowa 390 0.26 2.38 $ 24.25 $ 50,430
Missouri 520 0.19 1.73 $ 23.04 $ 47,910
Utah 290 0.18 1.66 $ 23.49 $ 48,860
Mississippi 190 0.17 1.56 $ 18.59 $ 38,660


Map of annual mean wages of recreational therapists by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Recreational Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,580 0.09 0.83 $ 37.59 $ 78,190
New Jersey 550 0.13 1.24 $ 36.30 $ 75,490
District of Columbia 80 0.11 1.05 $ 34.67 $ 72,110
Washington 230 0.07 0.64 $ 32.37 $ 67,330
Oregon 120 0.07 0.61 $ 32.31 $ 67,200



Map of employment of recreational therapists by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Recreational Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,480 0.16 1.49 $ 32.46 $ 67,520
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 380 0.14 1.32 $ 26.03 $ 54,150
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 370 0.14 1.26 $ 26.98 $ 56,130
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 360 0.06 0.55 $ 34.41 $ 71,570
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 360 0.08 0.76 $ 28.76 $ 59,820
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 280 0.15 1.36 $ 25.52 $ 53,080
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 260 0.14 1.28 $ 26.25 $ 54,590
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 250 0.08 0.78 $ 30.32 $ 63,070
Kansas City, MO-KS 250 0.24 2.22 $ 20.37 $ 42,370
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 250 0.10 0.88 $ 27.50 $ 57,190


Map of location quotient of recreational therapists by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Recreational Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 30 0.80 7.47 $ 29.14 $ 60,620
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 70 0.61 5.67 $ 42.99 $ 89,420
Topeka, KS 70 0.60 5.58 $ 19.08 $ 39,680
Iowa City, IA 50 0.51 4.78 $ 26.11 $ 54,310
Wichita, KS 130 0.43 3.96 $ 16.72 $ 34,770
Columbia, MO 40 0.39 3.65 $ 25.86 $ 53,780
Ann Arbor, MI 80 0.38 3.55 $ 28.02 $ 58,290
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 50 0.36 3.38 $ 41.25 $ 85,810
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 40 0.32 3.02 $ 26.44 $ 55,000
Worcester, MA-CT 90 0.32 3.01 $ 22.13 $ 46,030


Map of annual mean wages of recreational therapists by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Recreational Therapists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Stockton-Lodi, CA 50 0.17 1.62 $ 44.61 $ 92,780
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 70 0.61 5.67 $ 42.99 $ 89,420
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 50 0.36 3.38 $ 41.25 $ 85,810
Fresno, CA 80 0.19 1.79 $ 40.27 $ 83,760
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 140 0.06 0.55 $ 38.87 $ 80,840
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 100 0.08 0.79 $ 36.63 $ 76,190
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 160 0.10 0.89 $ 36.48 $ 75,870
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 100 0.10 0.90 $ 36.38 $ 75,660
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 40 0.03 0.32 $ 36.22 $ 75,340
Trenton, NJ 50 0.19 1.78 $ 35.19 $ 73,180

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Recreational Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 310 0.80 7.41 $ 16.86 $ 35,060
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 90 1.18 10.99 $ 21.34 $ 44,390
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 60 0.27 2.54 $ 25.31 $ 52,640
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.18 1.70 $ 27.13 $ 56,420
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.16 1.47 $ 21.88 $ 45,510

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Recreational Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 90 1.18 10.99 $ 21.34 $ 44,390
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 310 0.80 7.41 $ 16.86 $ 35,060
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 30 0.37 3.41 $ 26.86 $ 55,870
Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.31 2.84 $ 21.40 $ 44,510
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 60 0.27 2.54 $ 25.31 $ 52,640

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Recreational Therapists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 40 0.27 2.49 $ 27.46 $ 57,110
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.18 1.70 $ 27.13 $ 56,420
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 30 0.37 3.41 $ 26.86 $ 55,870
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 30 0.19 1.75 $ 25.74 $ 53,540
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 60 0.27 2.54 $ 25.31 $ 52,640


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023