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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
15,540 1.3 % $ 29.28 $ 60,910 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Recreational Therapists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.25 $ 22.32 $ 27.46 $ 35.17 $ 44.27
Annual Wage (2) $ 37,960 $ 46,420 $ 57,120 $ 73,150 $ 92,080


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 3,420 1.46 $ 30.80 $ 64,060
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 2,650 0.05 $ 30.17 $ 62,750
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 2,040 0.15 $ 23.94 $ 49,800
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,500 0.07 $ 30.91 $ 64,300
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 1,110 0.12 $ 22.52 $ 46,840

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 3,420 1.46 $ 30.80 $ 64,060
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 420 0.15 $ 28.74 $ 59,770
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 2,040 0.15 $ 23.94 $ 49,800
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 1,110 0.12 $ 22.52 $ 46,840
Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities 480 0.08 $ 28.33 $ 58,920

Top paying industries for Recreational Therapists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Child Care Services 80 0.01 $ 44.39 $ 92,320
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 1,090 0.05 $ 40.31 $ 83,850
Outpatient Care Centers 150 0.01 $ 34.11 $ 70,940
Elementary and Secondary Schools 160 (7) $ 32.01 $ 66,590
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,500 0.07 $ 30.91 $ 64,300


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 2023


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 1,730 0.10 0.94 $ 43.11 $ 89,660
New York 1,360 0.15 1.42 $ 31.93 $ 66,420
Texas 790 0.06 0.57 $ 26.98 $ 56,110
Pennsylvania 730 0.12 1.21 $ 27.13 $ 56,430
Florida 650 0.07 0.67 $ 27.53 $ 57,260


Map of location quotient of recreational therapists by state, May 2023


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 600 0.43 4.16 $ 19.53 $ 40,620
Iowa 360 0.23 2.29 $ 25.58 $ 53,200
Utah 310 0.18 1.80 $ 26.06 $ 54,210
Colorado 510 0.18 1.76 $ 28.63 $ 59,540
Mississippi 200 0.17 1.69 $ 20.45 $ 42,530


Map of annual mean wages of recreational therapists by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Recreational Therapists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,730 0.10 0.94 $ 43.11 $ 89,660
District of Columbia 60 0.08 0.82 $ 40.20 $ 83,610
Nevada 250 0.17 1.65 $ 35.08 $ 72,970
Washington 170 0.05 0.47 $ 34.80 $ 72,380
New Jersey 420 0.10 0.98 $ 33.32 $ 69,300



Map of employment of recreational therapists by area, May 2023


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 1,270 0.13 1.30 $ 33.07 $ 68,780
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 390 0.14 1.36 $ 27.68 $ 57,580
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 380 0.06 0.61 $ 40.65 $ 84,550
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 300 0.19 1.84 $ 28.80 $ 59,900
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 280 0.09 0.89 $ 30.77 $ 63,990
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 270 0.10 0.95 $ 28.88 $ 60,060
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 250 0.06 0.55 $ 30.49 $ 63,410
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 250 0.15 1.48 $ 43.63 $ 90,760
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 240 0.18 1.80 $ 26.34 $ 54,790
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 230 0.12 1.18 $ 27.57 $ 57,340


Map of location quotient of recreational therapists by area, May 2023


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)
Salem, OR 100 0.56 5.46 $ 30.45 $ 63,330
Topeka, KS 60 0.51 5.02 $ 21.09 $ 43,860
Columbus, GA-AL 50 0.48 4.65 $ 17.78 $ 36,970
Iowa City, IA 40 0.46 4.53 $ 25.32 $ 52,670
Wichita, KS 140 0.45 4.43 $ 18.04 $ 37,520
Tuscaloosa, AL 40 0.35 3.44 $ 25.23 $ 52,480
Fresno, CA 140 0.34 3.28 $ 41.92 $ 87,190
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 30 0.33 3.26 $ 27.37 $ 56,940
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS 50 0.30 2.92 $ 22.42 $ 46,640
Jackson, MS 70 0.28 2.77 $ 21.01 $ 43,690


Map of annual mean wages of recreational therapists by area, May 2023


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)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 60 0.05 0.49 $ 47.21 $ 98,200
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 100 0.04 0.41 $ 46.07 $ 95,820
Stockton-Lodi, CA 50 0.16 1.58 $ 45.85 $ 95,370
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 40 0.26 2.49 $ 45.35 $ 94,330
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 250 0.15 1.48 $ 43.63 $ 90,760
Fresno, CA 140 0.34 3.28 $ 41.92 $ 87,190
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 380 0.06 0.61 $ 40.65 $ 84,550
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 80 0.08 0.79 $ 39.68 $ 82,540
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 100 0.05 0.45 $ 37.58 $ 78,170
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 130 0.08 0.80 $ 36.48 $ 75,870

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 230 0.58 5.70 $ 18.76 $ 39,030
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 50 0.28 2.74 $ 25.36 $ 52,750
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.97 $ 27.93 $ 58,100
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.16 1.61 $ 22.17 $ 46,110
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 40 0.15 1.43 $ 29.13 $ 60,590

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)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 230 0.58 5.70 $ 18.76 $ 39,030
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 40 0.40 3.94 $ 28.17 $ 58,590
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 3.11 $ 26.66 $ 55,450
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.97 $ 27.93 $ 58,100
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 50 0.28 2.74 $ 25.36 $ 52,750

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)
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 40 0.15 1.43 $ 29.13 $ 60,590
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 40 0.40 3.94 $ 28.17 $ 58,590
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.97 $ 27.93 $ 58,100
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 3.11 $ 26.66 $ 55,450
Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area 50 0.28 2.74 $ 25.36 $ 52,750


About May 2023 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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024